


Voltron Legendary Defender: White Phoenix (On Hiatus)

by MageWarrior



Series: Kaela's Story [4]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Betrayal, Blood and Injury, Dark Magic, Drama, Drama & Romance, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Manipulation, Mind Control, Protective Siblings, Revenge, Romance, Strained Friendships, True Love, my version of season 9, revival
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-04
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:53:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 76,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21665476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MageWarrior/pseuds/MageWarrior
Summary: Takes place a year after Kaela's sacrifice to saving the universe and everyone she loves. Her hopes and dreams lives in her family and friends. Everyone struggles to move on from her death and sacrifice as a new deadly threat risen from the darkness part of the universe.
Relationships: Allura/Keith (Voltron), Curtis/Shiro (Voltron), James Griffin/Kaela(OC) (Voltron), Lance/Pidge | Katie Holt
Series: Kaela's Story [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1736488
Comments: 30
Kudos: 8





	1. Dark Power Rising

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place after Written in the Stars. 
> 
> Hope you all like this! Please comment and give feedback, it is deeply appreciated. 
> 
> Let me know if you have questions, please do not hesitate to ask. 
> 
> Enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the war, the Paladins all had moved on but one Paladin still grieved over the loss of Kaela who had died and sacrificed herself to save the universe and the ones she loves.

Keith was in a field with the blue petals blowing in the wind. He sat lonely on the grass with two gravestones with flower crowns on top. The video was playing in front of Keith and he smiled looking at the video of Kaela studying mage craft in the training room and almost broke the simulator as Coran’s clothes were caught on fire. He ran in circles with Lance and Pidge chasing after him with water buckets.

Next, it shows Kaela trying to grab some books she wanted to read while being on his shoulders with Shiro and Coran laughing in the background. Keith chuckled with tears forming and smiled warmly. He turned off the video and then looked at the landscape in front of him. “Can you see them, Ella? They are blooming beautifully.” Keith said, looking at the blue flowers in front of him with the little lake.

(~)

The bell rang and Lance clapped his hands with a bright smile. “Okay, guys. Let’s wrap it up. Have a good weekend and remember to do your homework.”

As his students left the room, Lance’s shoulders dropped, sighed deeply and looked back at the picture of himself and Kaela, leaning on each other’s backs behind the Red Lion. This was taken after they have announced that Kaela was going to be his second-in-command. “I hope you were here to see this. You could’ve have the most happiest life you ever lived.”

He heard footsteps coming towards his room and saw Pidge. “Hey, babe.”

“Hey, Katie. What’s up?” Lance asked as he put the photo frame down.

“Well, I was wondering if you are still on to visit Keith and Allura in Altea? Hunk can’t make it due to his work and Shiro is still not back yet from his honeymoon. So, that leaves the both of us.” Pidge said as she wrapped her arms around his torso.

Lance hummed. “Sounds great. Could use a break from teaching these trouble makers.”

“Sounds good.” Pidge laughed as they both kissed each other on the lips passionately with Lance’s hand on the back of her head, deepening the kiss until someone knocked on the door, interrupting their moment and saw it was Matt.

“Hey, hey. Could you at least, I don’t know, do that when there aren’t people going to walk in?” Matt asked with his arms crossed.

Pidge giggled while Lance groaned in annoyance but still had this blush on his face. “Just leave me and Katie alone!” Lance exclaimed as he hugged Pidge closer to him. Pidge watched her brother and boyfriend arguing and watched Matt ruffling his hair. It reminded her how Kaela always do that after Lance and Kaela finish training.

Pidge smiled fondly as she looked at the photos that Lance had put on his table. There was one with Kaela on Keith’s shoulders with Coran on Shiro’s shoulders as they had a match in the swimming pool. Kaela had this wide playful smirk in her face. She missed those fun moments they had with their beloved Mage Princess.

(~)

In Altea, Allura was wearing a purple dress with her hair in a braid and wore Kaela’s crown with a sad smile, looking at herself in the mirror. She wore Kaela’s colours in order to honour her. To see how much she means to her. How much their friendship means to her. She missed her dearly. She missed every moment she had spent with her. How she helped the Paladins to get into shape and how to become great protectors. She had made them be the people they are today.

The mice squeaked as they given her Kaela’s bracelet from Keith’s little chest on her desk. “No, don’t do that. Keith will be mad. I am sorry, my little friends but it is true.” Allura said as she quickly put the bracelet away but then she looked at the details from the bracelet. It has floral design with purple and red crystals on the top and in the middle.

It matches Kaela’s personality. She is a calm, gentle and warm person. She blooms each passing day and always stands proudly with the paladins and her. She fights with passion and love for the people who she cares for.

“Allura?” The new Altean Queen turned to see her boyfriend had arrived back from his visit to Kaela’s grave.

“Sorry, it’s just… I miss her.” Allura said as she put the bracelet back in the chest.

Keith felt a lump in his throat and walked towards her and hugged her. “I know. I do too. I miss her every day. I can hear her laughter and see her smile in my dreams. I tried to move on like she wanted us to do, but I can’t. I really do miss her.”

Allura felt tears rolling down her cheeks and hugged him. “I know Keith. We all do.”

“She did good in helping us after her capture.” Keith smiled, remembering their first meeting. It was both a scary and relief experience. Seeing her alive all this time. He was glad she had learned the truth and joined them.

“Yes. And as I recall she tried to kill you twice.” Allura chuckled. “And back then, we couldn’t stand each other until we became friends.”

Keith smiled. “Yeah, and remember the time when Kaela gave Lance a black eye?”

“Oh, yes. I believe that was Lance’s fault.” Allura laughed.

Keith and Allura sat in silence until Coran came in. “I am just here to tell you that Lance and Pidge have arrived.”

(~)

“Prince Adelram, we are running out of metal for our weapons.” Gaius reported to the mage prince.

“I see. Go to the nearest planet and get the strongest metal you find. And do not interrupt me in an important matter.” Prince Adelram ordered as he twirls his spear in his hands around the room.

“Of course, my lord.” Gaius bowed down and left the prince to do his own important matters. He sighed and walked down the stairs. He saw someone he knew from childhood. “Suki!”

Suki is the second Mage Princess of the Moon Mages and second heir to the throne her elder sister is Mage Princess Mizuki. “Oh, Gaius. Haven’t seen you in ages. How have you been?” Suki asked with a smile.

“I have been well, your highness.” Gaius replied with a warm smile. “How about you? I heard that you have been taking your training well.”

“Oh yes, I have. My sister is very busy preparing with the wedding and I had to run some errands.” Suki chuckled lightly as she looked into his eyes.

“Yes. Adelram as well. Busy as ever.” Gaius said. “Um, a-aren’t you busy right now? We can go to the falls and catch up?”

“Um, as much as I love to, but I have to help my sister. I really do. But we can do that someday.” Suki smiled.

“Yes. Sure. No problem at all, your highness.” Gaius said as he watched her leave the Castle.

The young prince was looking at a blue crystal in front of a tree and he looked at the carvings on the walls. He narrowed his eyes at the carving of his mother. He looked away with a scowl and then he walked further in the castle. As he reached the isolated part of the castle, his calm demeanour changed once he saw the Elders all standing and waited for him to arrive.

“Mage Prince Adelram, I hope that this will work.”

“Of course it will work! I have spent my entire eternity and lifetime to find the most purest mana until she appeared!” Prince Adelram exclaimed angrily at the elders as he grabbed one of the by the collar of their robes.

The elders all looked at the purple crystal in front of them and then turned back to the mage prince. 

“But this is madness! Reviving another mage is against the law.” Said one of the Elders.

“I don’t care as long as I have her powers. All will be mine.” Prince Adelram said. “Let’s continue.”

The elders all reluctantly did as they were asked to do and started the summoning. Adelram created a circle rune on the ground as the elders chanted a spell as Adelram was using was using his pure magic along with his dark magic. He smiled wickedly as he saw that he will achieved everything he had ever wanted.

(~)

Pidge put a bouquet of blue flowers in front of Kaela’s statue and she was still wearing the pendant she had given her. Pidge added Balmeran crystals and Olkari stones to it and wore it with pride. She wore it almost everywhere. “Do you think Kaela is still watching over us?” Pidge asked.

“Yeah, she better. I mean, she said she’ll always watch over us.” Lance smiled.

“Do you remember how Kaela almost killed you when we first met her?” Pidge asked with a grin.

“Yeah, somehow I can hear her saying the things she had said in my head or out loud.” Lance said with Pidge snickering.

“I see you brought her flowers again.” Allura appeared from behind them. Pidge smiled and hugged the new Altean Queen and then they moved in front of the statue and sat on a bench.

Lance greeted Keith with a handshake. He could see the dark circles underneath his eyes. “Keith, when was the last time you slept, man?” Lance asked in concern.

“Two days ago. I think.” Keith replied tiredly. “I visited her again.”

Lance nodded in understanding that he still misses his sister. Missed her sister so much. After her death and sacrifice, he would come and visit to keep him company and Allura would always watch over him. Keith would sometimes go to Altea and stay there for a couple days. Krolia would come and put the blue flowers in front of Kaela’s statue.

Pidge could see that Keith is still grieving and missing her every day. She also noticed that James is still grieving over her death. She saw him sometimes staying up late just to watch the spirits up in the sky.

Also she remembered how Keith went into Kaela’s room in the Atlas that day after her sacrifice.

(~)

_Keith went into his sister’s room in the Atlas and saw the blue flowers in a vase on her desk along with her betrothal necklace. He also looked at the paint materials on the floor and the canvas. He held on to the paintbrushes in his hands and looked at the paint she was painting, but it was incomplete. He saw it was a painting of the five Lions and them. She was nowhere in the image expect there was a white phoenix on the top._

_Keith broke her paint brushes in anger knowing that Kaela knew that she was going to die for the universe and for them. For those who she loves. He looked at everything that she owns and then he knocked down the books that were on the floor and saw the book that he had given her. he pulled put a photo of them in front of the Red Lion with him giving her a piggyback. He put it back inside the books. He gritted his teeth in anger. He wished he could’ve save her in time. She would be still be here._

_He held the book in his trembling hands and threw the book on the wall. Keith held his head in his hands as tears rolled down his cheeks and saw a mirror on the floor, seeing his new Galra marking that Kaela had given him. He covered it as his tears flowed down._

_He heard the doors sliding open and appeared Allura wearing Kaela’s crown. He also could see tears were rolling down her cheeks. He held on to her and hugged her tightly. Allura held him in her embraced as they mourned over Kaela in long deep silence in her painted room._

(~)

The four former paladins walked around Altea with Lance watching Pidge playing around with new Altean tech. “You think the children know the story of Kaela?” Lance asked.

“Yes, everyone calls it the Great Ikri.” Allura replied. Lance nodded in approval as it made sense since Kaela is the Great Ikri and a white phoenix. He knew that Kaela was afraid of using her powers but all she did was to never give up and kept on fighting for others. She also had used dark mage craft to save them and everyone in the universe.

Allura smiled until Keith was on his wrist com device again checking in more notifications. She sighed tiredly and grabbed his hands. “Keith, your sister would want you to rest. I want you to rest. Have a few days off and things will get better.” Allura said as she rubbed both of his cheeks where the Galra markings are. Keith nodded as he kissed her fingertips.

The two hugged each other tightly. But in truth, Allura had nightmares when Kaela had sacrificed herself. She could remember how Kaela died protecting Keith from Honerva. She saw all of the light orbs floating in space in front of the Atlas. It was a sight that she would not want to see in her dreams. Allura would sometimes put Kaela’s crown someplace where she won’t see it. Whenever she wears the crown. It reminds her of Kaela.

Pidge noticed the looks from Keith. He looked exhausted and drained. He has been spending time with the Blades full time. And Allura tries to distract herself by doing her duties as Queen. She could tell that they miss her a lot. They all do miss her a lot. Pidge always found Lance looking up in the sky seeing the spirits appearing in the night sky. He would stay for an hour talking and praying to the spirits.

Pidge held the pendant in her hands tightly, feeling the warmth of her aura that stayed in pendant. “Lance?”

“Yeah, peanut?”

“Do you miss Kaela?” Pidge asked.

Lance’s face hardened as he looked away. He does miss her every day. He missed all the good times that they had together, even though their partnership was short, but it was worth it to learn a few things from her. She had taught them everything in order to survive.

“Yeah, I do Katie. Every day.” Lance replied shakily. Pidge nodded and hugged her boyfriend tightly as they comfort each other in silence. Grieving over Kaela’s death a year ago was hard for everyone to cope with the fact that Kaela is no longer with them. Lance has always been there for his friend same goes for the others. She had taught him everything she knows. She had guided him and helped him to realise his true feelings for the person he cares about.

(~)

Shiro was out in the balcony and smiled as he watched a vlog of Kaela and himself at the beach in a planet where they had landed. Shiro was teaching her how to play volleyball. She was a very fast learner. She even hit the ball on Lance’s face two or three times. Shiro also saw Kaela and Allura were playing the water, splashing each other until Hunk jumped in. And the video shows Keith teaching her how to skip the rock. She was pouting after two or three tries. She couldn’t get it until she did. She looked at the camera and smiled. She was cheering loudly as she hugged her older brother.

“Shiro? Oh, you’re watching it again.” Curtis smiled.

“Yeah, she was beginning to learn more of Earth. And she even got the hang of it of the games here on Earth.” Shiro replied.

Curtis smiled and looked at the photo of Kaela with her brother, Keith. “I have known her for a very short time, and she was the most bravest, courageous and wonderful person I have ever met. Well, next to you.”

Shiro smiled and kissed him softly. “If we ever have a daughter, I want to name her after her expect spelt K-a-y-l-a. Kayla.”

“She’ll approve and love it. I do as well.” Curtis smiled as they enjoyed the cool breeze.

(~)

Krolia came to Altea and brought bouquet of blue flowers and placed it in front of the statue of her daughter. Allura accompanied her and paying her visits. “She really did everything to save the universe.” Krolia said.

“I know, she had done everything she could and saved Keith, us and everyone else.” Allura said, looking up at Kaela’s statue.

“I wish I could’ve stayed with her longer.” Krolia said standing up next to her.

“She is always with you. She’s always in your heart, Krolia.” Allura smiled softly.

Krolia smiled as tears rolled down her cheeks. Allura comforted Krolia with Keith watching them. He also looked at the statue of Kaela. She was wearing her mage uniform with her crown on. He smiled remembering how Krolia and Kaela were chatting away in the Black Lion as they read books together.

In truth, he was still trying to move on from her death. He missed his baby sister. He missed her so much. Kosmo went to his side and licked him on the face to cheer him up. Keith smiled a bit and pet him on the head.

Allura noticed how Keith looked from the afar. She frowned thinking he isn’t still over her death. She let Krolia have time to pay her respects to Kaela and she walked towards to her boyfriend. “Keith, you are still grieving. Kaela would’ve wanted you to move on.” Allura said softly. “I am not asking you to forget about her. You can always remember her. She lives in you, Keith.”

Keith nodded and pressed his forehead on hers. “I just miss her so much. I just wanted to see her again. I-I need some closure. There’s gotta be a way for me to see her one last time.”

Allura kissed him on the forehead and smiled. “I think I may know how you’ll get closure.” Keith raised an eyebrow in confusion as she led him back inside the Castle with the others following the couple.

(~)

A wormhole opened as they arrived at a planet and landed in the dark forest in front of the mountain. “Why are we here, Allura?” Lance asked with Pidge by his side.

“We are here for Keith. But unfortunately, you are only here for the aftermath and for you to be here for him.” Allura replied as Keith walked by.

“Where are we here on Planet Plinax?” Keith asked.

“To give you all the closure you need.” Allura said. “Keith, I know how hard Kaela’s death is. It is hard for all of us as well. She would’ve wanted us to move on. She needed us to move on. And so should you. She would want to see you to never be dwelling in the past.” Keith nodded in understanding as he held his girlfriend’s hands. 

“So, how is Keith going to see her?” Pidge asked.

“Last time when Kaela sacrificed her mana. She transferred half of hers to Keith. So, he could use that amount of mana to somehow send his soul to where Kaela is. In which ever realm she is in. Only for a short time.” Allura explained. “If the hunters would allow it.”

“We would allow it.” Palin appeared as the paladins all looked at all of the hunters that have arrived.

“We have heard of her sacrifice not long ago. We are more than willing to help you.” Palin said.

“Yes, it is devastating.” Allura said as her shoulders fell. “But we would like for Keith to see her one last time.”

Palin looked over at Keith who stood in between Lance and Pidge. He could feel the sadness and guilt coming from the former Leader of Voltron. He understood the pain he was going through of losing a loved one during a war in an unexpected ways. He smiled and nodded. “Please this way.”

(~)

They all followed him into the mountain cave where the glowing tree was. “If you were to see her again, you must know that by sunrise, you must come back. Our magic will only have your soul transported into a magical realm where you’ll see your sister again. If you don’t come back, you’ll be stuck there. Forever.” Palin explained the warnings.

“Okay. I understand.” Keith nodded slowly as he held Allura’s hand.

“You sure you want to do this, team leader?” Lance asked.

“I’m sure.” Keith replied with a confident smile.

“Well, let her know that we say hi to her.” Pidge smiled.

Keith nodded and turned to Allura who nodded with a smile. “I’ll see you on the other side.” They both leaned in a kiss with Allura caressing his cheek and Keith putting a hand on the back of her head to deepen the kiss.

As they broke apart, Allura stood with Pidge holding her hands. Lance wrapped his arms around the girls and watched as Keith laid down in the water as they all heard the hunters chanting a spell and he closed his eyes.

(~)

The next thing he saw was a field of blue flowers. He sat up and looked up to see a Castle up in the clouds with water falls. Keith walked around to see mages walking around freely. He smiled as he was in Planet Zelza, home to the Mages.

He heard footsteps from behind him and he turned around to see his sister, holding a bouquet of blue flowers in her arm while she was holding a basket. “E-Ella?”

“Keith? Keith! You’re here.” Kaela said with tears flowing down as she dropped the basket and her blue flowers on the ground. The two siblings ran to each other with arms reaching out to each other. She jumped into Keith’s arms and hugged him. They both fell down on the grass but neither of them cared. They were happy to see each other again.

Keith hugged her tightly as tears flowed down his cheeks. “You are really here.”

“How are you here?” Kaela asked as she see him in his new appearance.

“We went to Planet Plinax. The hunters helped me to see you.” Keith replied. “And Allura, Pidge and Lance said hi.”

“They’re all there? And you are here in this realm just to see me?” Kaela asked as she frowned.

“Yes, of course. You are my baby sister.” Keith replied, kissing her on the forehead where her purple diamond is. “You still look the same.”

Kaela giggled. “And you look older.” Keith laughed lightly and hugged her again. It was good to see his sister again after her death and sacrifice a year ago.

“So, how would you like to spend the day?” Kaela asked smiling as she sat next to him.

“Let’s just catch up.” Keith said, holding her hands. “Just talk, like we always do.”

Kaela smiled as she kissed him on the forehead. “How’s mom?”

“She misses you every day as well. And if you are going to ask about James. He does miss you a lot.” Keith replied.

Kaela frowned, remembering how she disappeared in in his arms. She remembered how warm his embrace was. How gentle he was. “I never got to say how I felt for him.” Kaela said as she played with the petals of her favourite flowers.

“I am sure he knows.” Keith said. “He does truly loves you.”

Kaela smiled fondly and looked at him. She saw his Blade uniform was different. “Are you a Leader of the Blade of Marmora now?” Kaela asked, pointing at his uniform.

“Yeah, well, co-leading with Mom and Kolivan.” Keith replied with a smile. “Allura is now Queen and we, uh are now official dating.”

Kaela smiled brightly and punched him on the arm gently. “Took you guys long enough.”

Keith chuckled. “Well, uh, it did took me at least three years to uh, realise it until now. Lance and Pidge are still dating. Shiro is on his honeymoon with Curtis. The wedding was nice.”

“Let me guess, Lance and Hunk were crying throughout the wedding?” Kaela asked.

“Sounds about right.” Keith said with a straight face until the siblings laughed.

“How’s Coran?” Kaela asked.

“He is the same as ever, but I know he misses you too.” Keith replied as he looked up to see the Castle in the skies with the waterfalls. “It’s amazing here.”

Kaela frowned and was about to say something to him. But didn’t. She didn’t want to ruin for him. But everything he sees is just a realm that Zelza might have looked like. “It is. I dreamt of coming here. But not like this.” Kaela said.

“You did it to save me.” Keith pointed out.

“I know.” Kaela smiled a bit as she looked over the hill to see many mages roaming freely.

“And Hunk would love to use those berries for his dish.” Keith said looking at the berries on the bush.

“He is a cook now?” Kaela asked with a bright smile. Remembering that Hunk wanted to be a cook and have his own restaurant one. He even wanted her to be a baker to all of the sweets she has been baking in her times in the Castle of Lions.

“Yeah, along with Shay and Romelle. Along with our allies.” Keith replied. “He is doing great though. He misses your cooking.” Kaela chuckled, remembering the days she cooked with him all the time in the Castle. Sometimes things would get messy whenever Lance tries to get a piece of a cake she had made. He had a black eye after that.

“That’s great to hear that Hunk is doing something he likes. And Shiro, glad he had found someone he loves.” Kaela smiled contently.

“Yeah, I am happy for him.” Keith said.

Kaela nodded as the wind blew her hair gently. She stared at the new marking she had given to him since their parting. “Keith, are you bothered that I gave you another Galra marking?”

Keith looked at his sister who looked away from him. His hand went to right cheek and smiled a bit. “Truth to be told, at first I was. But overtime, I got used to it. Reminds me of something.”

“Reminds you of what?”

“How your love and selflessness saved us and how you accepted me and the others as your family.” Keith replied. “You and Allura helped me to accept myself.”

Kaela smiled as she caressed his cheek gently and rubbed her thumb against his new Galra marking. “Good. You have grown so much since becoming a Leader of Voltron. I am proud of you.”

Keith leaned into her touch and looked at his sister. “I wish that you could’ve lived longer.”

“But what’s done is done, Keith. I can’t be brought back to life.” Kaela said. “it is against the law on reviving a mage from the dead.”

Keith looked away from her. “Allura’s right. It is time to move on.” Kaela said standing up, walking down the hill.

“What if I can’t?” Keith asked, following her down the hill.

“Then the grief and sadness will soon to consume you, Keith. You’ll lose sight of everything you love.” Kaela replied firmly, clenching her fists.

“I already have. And I-I am not ready to let go of you yet.” Keith said, catching up to her and then saw the scenery disappearing in front of him and the sun has begun rising with the sun shining in his eyes.

“Sunrise. It is time to go, Keith.” Kaela said as she turned around to see him, trying his best not to shed tears.

Kaela’s face softens and she hugged him. “It’s time to let go, Keith. I want you to live on. I want you to live your life with Mom, Allura and the others. It’s time to put this, all of this, behind us.” Kaela said.

“No. I don’t want to let you go just yet. Please.” Keith pleaded as he hugged her tightly, feeling tears were rolling down his cheeks.

Kaela sighed as tears rolled down her cheeks. “You have to. You can start letting go by accepting my death and sacrificed I had to make. I gave you this chance to live. I gave you a chance to live with a life with Allura. And with Mom. You need to let go.”

Keith looked at her with tears rolling down as she wiped them away and saw a portal in front of them. They could see Allura, Pidge and Lance were waiting for him. Keith looked back at Kaela who smiled. “It’s time for my stubborn big brother to go home and live. I don’t want you dwell in what had happened. And I never want your dreams to end because of my actions. I want you to respect my wishes and live. Please, for me?”

Keith smiled and kissed her on the forehead for one last time and they hugged each other tightly. He looked at the portal and walked towards it. He looked back at Kaela who smiled and nodded. Keith smiled back and walked through the portal.

Kaela smiled with tears flowing down her cheeks and felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking up it was their father. He smiled at her as they held hands and walked back away from the portal where Keith walked through and disappeared.

(~)

Keith woke up and saw the glowing leaves falling down on him. He sat up and saw everyone was looking at him. “Well, did—did you see her?” Lance asked.

“Yeah, I did. She still looked the same. She says hi.” Keith replied as Allura hugged him tightly.

Lance and Pidge hugged each other as well. “I hope that all of this helped you.” Pidge said.

“It did helped me. Thanks, Allura. I got everything I needed.” Keith said smiling as he turned to Allura.

“Good.” Allura said as she kissed him deeply while Lance and Pidge groaning but still have big smiles on their faces.

“Can’t you do that when we get back to Altea? There are people who are watching!” Lance whined with Pidge giggling. Keith and Allura both shook their heads with smiles as they all stood up while looking at the tree as it shone brightly knowing that Kaela is there, watching over them.

(~)

All of the Mage Elders all looked at each other with fear as they looked down at the Mage Prince who was laughing manically. “It worked… It worked! Such a glorious day it is!” Adelram exclaimed as he looked at the bed in front of him.

“Mage Prince Adelram, there might be a chance that we will get caught by the People.”

“Then let them!” Adelram exclaimed angrily. “This…. This is all what I need.” He panted as he smiled and cackled. “The power is all mine! Mine!”

The Elders all hung their heads down, fearing that they had failed Mage Princess Serene. “Gaius!”

“Yes, Prince Adelram.” Gaius bowed, appeared in the room.

“Begin preparations. We are beginning the next step.” Adelram said as he smooth back his hair. “Let’s watch how the mighty Paladins suffer.”

“The Paladins sire? Aren’t they going to be our allies?” Gaius asked until he saw a bed that was covered in black and white flowers. He gasped in horror as he looked back at his best friend and walked towards the bed.

“You see, I am much more capable than my own mother. With this power I can rule the universe together.” Adelram panted tiredly as he smooth back his hair and stood up properly.

“Adel, you know how much trouble we are going to be with the Ancients Spirits. This is madness!” Gaius exclaimed to his best friend.

“Oh? They’ll never know. Now that I have _her_ revived. We can use her powers to go into the rift and get what I have always yearned for after 10,000 long years. We have been stuck in time after my mother unleased the protective barrier around our land.” Adelram said as he raised his voice at his friend. “You don’t know… HOW LONG I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING FOR ALL OF THE ANSWERS!”

Gaius hung his head down as he bowed down. “I… apologise, my lord. I spoke too soon.”

Adelram calmed down and then took a deep breath. “I know how much you missed your family during the Dark ages when that so-called uncle, Emperor Zarkon had killed our families. Let the universe see what we are capable of.”

Gaius stood up as he thought of his family. He lost his family to Zarkon and the Galra. He wanted his siblings to be safe and secured from danger, but he had saw how their deaths happened in front of his eyes. He was just an ordinary solider. Not a mage like his friend.

“Look, old friend. I know how much this all have traumatized us. It is time to get our revenge on the Galra.” Adelram said.

Gaius looked over the bed and saw a woman laying down peacefully with runes glowing and cracks faintly showing. “Is she…?”

“Yes, she is Mage Princess Kaela. Who is the reincarnation of my mother. She is a Pure and Dark Mage Princess.” Adelram said as he caressed her long raven hair.

“She has Galra markings.” Gaius said.

“Yes, I know. But she is what she is. I accept that. Let’s have a warm welcome when she is awake.” Adelram said as he put a hand on his shoulder. “Let’s give the Great Ikri a warm welcome back to Zelza.”

“Does…. She knows about this?” Gaius asked, referring to Mizuki.

“No. She will not. She’ll never know.” Adelram replied bitterly. Then he smiled wickedly as he walked towards the doors and left the room.

The Elders and Gaius all looked at Mage Princess Kaela who laid on the bed. Adelram has successfully revived her from the dead by using Dark Magic which is against the law. Now he has to suffer the consequences of his own actions.

(~)

Lance and Pidge looked at the beautiful field of blue flowers in front of them and saw two gravestones in front of them. One was Koryak and one was for Kaela. Pidge bent down and placed the bouquet in front of it with Lance bending down and had tears forming in the corner of his eyes.

Allura was picking one of the flowers and sniffed it. It has such wonderful aroma she had smelt after 10,000 years. She looked at the graves and gasped when she saw the spirit of Kaela. She was smiling at her as Allura’s tears flowed down her cheeks.

Keith wrapped his arms around her as he also saw the spirits of his sister in front of them and Lance came to her with tears rolling down. Pidge was gasping softly as Kaela smiled at her warmly and wiped her tears away. She turned to Lance who tried to hug her but couldn’t. Kaela caressed both of his cheeks and wiped his tears.

Kaela smiled at them all and walked into the field as the petals were blown in the wind and her spirit disappeared. “She is really at peace.” Pidge sniffed as she wiped her tears with Lance wiping them away.

“Yes, she’ll always protect us from up there.” Allura smiled as she leaned on Keith’s shoulder and wrapped her arms around him. Keith kissed her on the forehead with smile and saw a phoenix flying in the sky.


	2. Souls Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Mage Prince Adelram’s dark perfect summoning, he continues with his master plan to destroy the Paladins. One by one. Meanwhile, the paladins had dealt with a new threat in the universe once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the second chapter! 
> 
> Just to let you all know that there are two more chapters have been done and edited, ready to be posted soon. And upcoming chapters will be coming soon. Stay tuned! 
> 
> Enjoy reading the second chapter. It will be full of suspicions and mystery in this chapter.

After their visit from Kaela’s grave and Keith seeing Kaela again. They all went back to the Atlas and talked about what has happened. “Whoa, she said that? Wow, if she were alive, she would be my cooking partner.” Hunk smiled as he thought if Kaela had lived, she would be his cooking partner.

They would’ve been cooking delicious meals for everyone in the whole universe. And for their family and friends. It was a nice thought since Hunk and Kaela were cooking buddies during her time in the Castle. They take turns in who will cook this and that. Kaela makes the best desserts and soups. Courtesy of Koryak who had taught her before, now Hunk can master in making the soup that Kaela always makes.

Lance chuckled and wrapped an arm around him. “Yeah, have you mastered on how to make that cake she had taught you?” Lance asked with a smile.

“No. Not yet. I’ll try harder.” Hunk said, giving him a pat on the shoulder. The paladins were in the meeting room with Shiro who returned from his honeymoon. Shiro was glad to see that Keith is looking all better. And that he is moving on with his life, honouring his younger’s sister’s wishes.

“So, where are we going, Shiro?” Pidge asked.

“We are going to explore some other planets that we have yet to discover. Coran decided to take us to a planet nearby, but he wouldn’t tell me.” Shiro said.

“What is Coran up to?” Allura asked, raising an eyebrow in suspicious. Everyone seemed curious as well on where Coran is taking them. They were going from planet to planet to see if they are willing to stand with the Voltron Coalition or they needed some assistance.

“I hope it’s not that planet where Kaela had to save us over and over from that nasty alien monster.” Hunk shuddered at the memory. He still fear of the monster trying to eat him up. It still haunts him to this very day.

“Hunk, you were screaming loudly, and the monster hunted you down so easily.” Lance pointed out.

“Still, it was a scary experience when the monster was trying to cook you alive.” Hunk said as Allura and Pidge giggled at the memory of Kaela beating the monster with her blades and she had complained about how she had to clean them every hour.

The doors opened revealing James Griffin. “Um, sorry to interrupt. I was just here to give you these reports to you, Shirogane.”

“Great. Thanks.” Shiro smiled at the young pilot. Not far from where Keith was sitting, he could see that he was wearing Kaela’s locket along with his dog tags. Allura also noticed this. She knew that the young pilot had loved Kaela. Now, she is not here. Not here with him in this life.

“This looks great, Griffin.” Shiro smiled, handing back the tablet to the young cadet.

“Thank you, sir.” James nodded with a smile and then it disappeared as soon as he walked out of the room.

“He is still in mourning.” Pidge noted as Lance nodded, watching his leave the room. From what he had seen, they grew closer during their mission in taking down Honerva. And in such a short time, they held feelings for each other and began to reconcile with each other.

“Yeah, he visited Kaela’s grave on Earth a few days ago. He was talking non-stop for hours.” Hunk said as everyone went silent. James has often visit her grave and stay there with a bouquet of blue flowers in front of the gravestone. Keith was thinking back on the day where he saw James and Kaela were having feelings for each other. And the day they were genuinely having feelings for each other.

(~)

_Keith was walking with Allura by his side. They were engaged in a conversation until Allura gasped excitedly. “What’s wrong, Allura?” Keith asked._

_“Look!” Allura squealed and pointed at a direction where he had dropped his jaw wide open, seeing his sister, Kaela with James Griffin. They were smiling softly at each other with James gazing into her light purple eyes. Like he was in an enchanted spell. Kaela was laughing to what he had said while nearly tripping over something._

_“Oh, Keith, they look so good together!” Allura squealed, grabbing on his arm._

_“No, No! Oh, no! He is not taking my baby sister away from me.” Keith gritted his teeth until Allura held on to him tightly._

_“Keith, please, this is her chance to finding love and there you have it! She is finally moving on and it seems she had found the one!” Allura smiled._

_Keith was not convinced until he saw how James is gentle to his sister and saw that Kaela may have hinted feelings for him. He could see his baby sister was blushing a bit as she put a strand of her hair on the back of her ear. He never seen her so happy and smiling more often._

_Keith slumped down. “I guess so.”_

(~)

James was walking down to the hangars and saw Acxa with Veronica. “Oh, James, ready for exploring the new planet where we are going?” Veronica asked with a cheery smile. Trying to light up the mood from the Commander.

“Yeah.” James smiled a bit. He was trying his best to look like he is in a good mood. He doesn’t want them to worry over him so much. But it was evident that everyone was worried about him after Kaela’s death a year ago. He was still in mourning. He still visited her grave and put some flowers in front it.

“Veronica, is it okay if I talk with him for a few minutes?” Acxa asked.

“Sure thing.” Veronica said as she walked into the hangars.

“I know this is very hard for you to cope that she is gone.” Acxa spoke softly. “She was my best friend. And I do miss her as well. I know that you truly loved and missed her.”

James looked up at Acxa as she leaned on the wall. “I know how hard it is to move on. But I have a feeling that she would tell you to move on and live. She’ll always have loved you.” Acxa said.

James stood quiet and then looked at Acxa. “You think she would?”

“Yes. She would.” Acxa smiled and left him to wonder around in his thoughts.

(~)

Adelram was overlooking his people were preparing a feast in the gardens. “My love, tell me, do you think the Paladins of Voltron would like it here? Be welcomed warmly by our people after 10,000 years. I want everything to be, well, perfect. All according to plan.”

“I am sure they’ll love Planet Zelza.” Mizuki replied with a smile as she chosen a bouquet of flowers on a table as an example.

“Y-You’re right. Ahem, please, could you please give this to Gaius, he’s mother is brilliant of cooking these cakes. I am sure that they’ll want more nice meals and refreshments.” Adelram said as he tried to kiss her, but she moved away with a kiss.

“Okay, but first let me get changed. And I will let you focus on your tasks while I am gone.” Mizuki said with a giggle.

“My love, was it true that you had true feelings for our dearest friend, Gaius?” Adelram asked and wondered as his fiancée stopped in her tracks. She thought of him as a dear friend like Adelram has. He has always been there for them as a friend and as a soldier. He made them every bit proud of him.

He had improved a lot over the years. Mizuki and Gaius always have been the best of friends but then suddenly as they reached adulthood, they stopped seeing each other until the Elders have arranged the marriage between her and Adelram. Mizuki turned to her fiancé and smiled. “That was a long time ago, my love. Gaius is still a dear friend of ours.”

“You are certain of this?” Adelram asked, still felt uncertain of her answer. She seemed like she held feelings for their childhood best friend, or he was just imagining things.

“Yes, I am certain. I mean, if he does have a chance, I am sure my younger sister, Suki is the perfect match for her. If only he sees it.” Mizuki chuckled in amusement.

“Ahh, yes. Young darling Suki, she is a remarkable woman but, she is not yet ready for that responsibility as a Moon Mage Princess.” Adelram said as he continued with the prepares on his desk.

“I am sure that she is training hard. Suki has always been keen on new ideas and adventures as a child. She’d always dreamt of exploring until Zarkon attacked our homeland.” Mizuki said, looking down on the ground.

“Suki has always been not afraid of discovering new things and now, she’s all locked up.” Mizuki said sadly.

“I am sure that she’ll have the chance to explore the world, the universe as well my love. Now, go and find Gaius’s mother. Send my regards to her.” Adelram said kissing her on the forehead. “We must not waste our time.”

“Alright, but just to be clear, you will not get overboard on introducing yourself.” Mizuki smiled as she walked out of the room.

Adelram smiled until she was out of hearing range. “Everything must be according to plan. Now, for the next step, come out my little dark creatures. May your darkest devour who ever have pure heart.” Adelram cackled evilly.

He went down to the deepest part of the Castle and smiled wicked. “I think it is time for you to take action, dear sister. You will get what I want.” Adelram said as he caressed Kaela’s hair gently in his hands. 

(~)

Keith was in the hangars, checking over everything until James came in the hangar. “Can I help you with something?”

“Uh, well, no. I just wanted to say this that I’m sorry that we couldn’t save her in time.” James replied. “I just wished I could’ve done something.”

Keith’s face softened and walked towards him and put his hand on his shoulder. “I felt the same way but we all did our best to try to keep her safe. She did what she had to do to save us. And I saw her in a realm. Allura took me there.”

James’s eyes widened. “D-Did you see her?”

“Yeah, I saw her.” Keith replied as James nodded in understanding that he had seen Kaela.

“Is she truly at peace?” James asked, wanting to be sure if she is at peace.

“She is.” Keith nodded with a smiling thinking of his sister’s warm and gentle smile. Kaela was now finally at peace.

“That’s good. That she is in peace, I mean.” James said as he thought of Kaela and their moments they had shared together. He still remembered their first meeting, how they worked together against Sendak and their times together in Clear Day. He still remembers their first kiss. Their first accidental kiss. He remembered how she looked so shocked and turned red. She felt the warmth from his lips with the tips of her fingers.

After that, his feelings for her grew stronger. Seeing that he had found someone to protect. Someone to care for. He remembers everything from her. Her smile. Her laugh. Her every touch. He had fallen in love with his best friend. He didn’t get the chance to tell her how he felt. Keith seemed to noticed this. “She um, didn’t get to tell you how she felt for you. But she really did love you. She really did.”

James looked at Keith with a shocked expression then it softened. He was relieved to know that she felt the same way as he did. “Thanks. That’s what I really need.” James smiled.

Keith smiled and they both walked into different directions in the hallway. The former Leader of Voltron went back to the bridge and saw Allura was sitting where Coran was sitting down while looking at Kaela’s crown. “You okay, Allura?”

“I…I can’t help but felt that I should not wear her crown. It felt like I have taken something from her.” Allura said sadly. “She’s the only person who should wear this.”

“Hey, she would’ve wanted you to have it. It is symbolizing that you are the Queen of Altea. She has given you Altea back. She had given your home back. The life you deserved. She has given you a second chance.” Keith said as he held her hand softly in his. He rubbed his thumb on the back of her hand while looking in her eyes lovingly.

Allura smiled and sat up from the chair and kissed him on the lips passionately. “Thank you, Keith.”

“No problem.” Keith smiled back until the computers detected an energy serge. He frowned, seeing that it is not like any other energy source they had discovered. “What is that?”

“There is dark energy and pure energy.” Allura said. They both looked at the window and yelped surprise seeing dark entities coming at the Atlas and they were biting on the ship and tore the metal apart. Both Keith and Allura fell down on the floor. “We have to warn the crew!”

“What in the world is going on?” Iverson asked and yelped seeing the dark creatures on the window, blocking the light.

Pidge and Lance ran into the bridge and saw the creatures as the pendant shone brightly and scared the creatures away. “Okay. That was weird.” Lance commented as he looked at the pendant. He took it off from Pidge and he put it in front of the creatures as they snarled at the light.

“They are scared of the light!” Lance exclaimed.

“Then we have to get more lighters.” Keith said as he ran out of the bridge to the hangars and saw the Lions were surrounded by the Dark Creatures. Hunk and Pidge were running away from the Dark Creatures until Lance came in with his bayard and shot at them. Pidge ran towards her boyfriend and Hunk hid behind Allura.

“What the heck are those?!” Hunk asked in fear as he held on the Princess’s arm.

“They look like entities, but bigger.” Allura said as she could recognized them. “They are the Dark Creatures in Zelza!”

“Wait, what? Those things are dark creatures in Zelza?” Lance shrieked as he kept on shooting.

“We know that they are afraid of light.” Keith said as he looked at the Dark Creatures.

“But the power was shut off.” Pidge pointed out.

Coran and Shiro went to the bridge after getting the urgent alert from the Paladins. More dark creatures were coming their way. “Oh! They are eating the metal off the Atlas!” Coran exclaimed.

“They knocked down the communication systems.” Veronica said.

“Any other systems work?” Shiro asked.

“Negative.” Curtis said as he looked at his husband with fear and concern.

Shiro gritted his teeth and saw they were surrounded by the Dark Creatures. The Atlas will soon be consumed, and the Paladins were being attacked by the Dark Creatures in the hangar bay with the MFEs. If Kaela were here, she would take them down in seconds flat. If she were alive and standing with them.

Then they all heard a rumbling and saw them snarling at something up ahead and saw billions of colours. Coran stood up in excitement and cheered. “It’s the mages! We’re in the sector where Zelza is!”

They looked in awe to see so many colours from the Mages. Shiro could see millions of colours flying around fighting the Dark Creatures. Their mana colours just merge together like a rainbow or even Northern lights like the spirits that appeared on Altea.

Keith saw the Mages appearing and helped them. The creatures all snarled and flew away from them seeing that they were defeated. Keith and Allura stood in shock to see another real living Mage or rather Mages in front of them. “Whoa.” Lance gasped.

Allura gasped and saw one person who she’d recognised. She thought her eyes were being deceiving her. “Adelram?”

“Allura? I thought you were dead?” Adelram asked in disbelief.

“Allura, you know him?” Keith asked with a hint of little jealously detected in his voice. Lance looked over at Pidge who seemed to be looking at the strongest mage that stood behind Adelram. She was in a dreamlike glance. Lance pouted and wrapped his arms around her protectively. Pidge smiled sheepishly knowing her boyfriend was jealous.

“Yes, I do! Adelram was like a dear cousin to me. He is Mage Princess Serene’s son.” Allura smiled with all of the Paladins looked at him in confusion to see that Princess Serene’s son is alive all this time.

“I am sorry that our, well, meeting has been under dangerous situations. But fear not, the Dark Creatures are now not going to be your concern.” Adelram assured them. “Now, who are these new brave Paladins of Voltron?”

“This is Hunk, the Yellow Paladin, Pidge the Green Paladin, Lance the Red Paladin and Keith, the Black Paladin.” Allura introduced them to Prince Adelram. He seemed to notice the fond smile that Allura was giving to Keith.

“Pleasure to meet you all. As you already know, I am Mage Prince Adelram, this is my fiancée, Mage Princess Mizuki of the Moon Mages. Mage Prince Apollo of all Mages and his younger brother, mage Prince Ares of the Fire Mages.” Adelram introduced his friends and himself to the Paladins.

“So, Coran was right, there are elemental tribes.” Pidge smiled. “Amazing.”

“Yeah, and we are near Zelza, are we?” Hunk asked in curiosity and looked at the Mages in front of him. he couldn’t believe his own eyes that he was seeing real actual Mages aside from Kaela.

“Yes, just a few ticks from here.” Mage Princess Mizuki said politely with a warm smile.

“Our ship had ran out of power, we thought it would be great to have Zelza helping us.” Keith said.

“Of course, we can be of assist.” Prince Apollo said with a polite smile with Allura and Pidge smiling at him and looked at his strong muscular build, much to their boyfriends dismay.

Coran and Shiro went to the hangars to see the Princes and Princess of Zelza. “Thank you for the assist.” Shiro thanked them and was also in shock. Seeing more Mages like Kaela are standing in front of them. Each of the mages have different runes and markings. And seeing much different in appearances that are associated to their tribes.

“Your most welcome. My fiancée is just getting the Earth mages to see the power outage of your vessel then we’ll be on our way.” Mage Princess Mizuki said.

“Is Zelza in hiding? As far as I remembered, Serene had put a barrier around the planet?” Allura asked with Coran standing behind her, listening attentively on how Planet Zelza was protected by the barrier and the events of how the Galra never found them.

“Yes, she did. 10,000 years ago, we were stuck in time. She protected us from the Galra. She protected everyone. Our people. It was the Dark Ages since then, they killed children, women and men.” Mizuki explained. “The barrier had protected us from the Galra Empire and those who dare to invade us.”

“All of our people have been slain. All of us have suffered.” Mizuki said as she clenched her fists at the horrid memories of the destruction of her home.

Coran frowned and knew why Zelza was hidden away from the universe. “And Prince Adelram? How was he coping with this?”

“At first, I thought he had perished but it seemed that they had spared him. He was not coping well when his father, sister and mother were found dead.” Mizuki replied.

“Your highness.” Said one of the guards that came inside with a pod. “These dark Creatures were defending this pod. Appears that some is inside.”

“We should have a Water Mage see who or what is inside.” Mizuki said as the guards nodded and complied.

(~)

As they were on their way, the Paladins looked on ahead and saw nothing in front of them. Just countless of stars. “Uh, I don’t see anything.” Lance said as he looked out of the window looking for their planet.

“That is because the gate makes our planet invisible.” Adelram said. “Observe.” The gate appeared slowly with the Paladins gasping in excitement and awe. They saw the gate way was a few statues of ancient Mages protecting their planet. The Mages helped guided the Atlas into their home planet with Mages watching from below to see the vessel.

“It’s like we’re in a dream.” Veronica said seeing more colourful colours in front of her and saw all kinds of creatures flying around with the Mages. Lance saw the beautiful ocean down below. Pidge gasped and saw a gigantic Castle in the centre above a village.

“Welcome to Planet Zelza.” Ares smiled proudly.

“This is amazing.” Shiro whispered. Keith and Allura held hands as they had finally found the home planet of all Mages. If Kaela were here, she would be safe here. Away from harm. It looked like paradise here. Kaela would love to live here for the rest of her life if she wanted to.

They have seen many creatures flying past by with the mountains floating up in the clouds with water falls. They all also saw Mages flying past and waved at them. Hunk waved back as he saw the phoenix flying below them. They also saw stone guards on every mountain top each holding a different staff that is associated with the elemental tribe. They also saw four stones floating around a crystal above in the sky. It looked like a power source. Or even the heart of the planet.

“If I may, I must see it all of the preparations have haven done, Apollo and Ares will guide you to the Castle.” Adelram said as he took his leave with Mizuki. They all watched the betrothal Mages fly out of the Atlas with Mage Warriors flying with them.

As they landed on the platform, they all noticed that the Castle was floating above the village and there was waterfall running through. Allura had seen the statue of Mage Princess Serene in front of the entrance. Keith looked over the view of the village. He could see where the Earth, Air and Fire Mages live. “Where do the Water, Moon and Sun mages live?” Keith asked.

“The Moon Mages live here in the Castle and some are living in the Gate way near the moons of Zelza. The Sun mages live near by the Fire Mages and the Water mages, both on land and under water.” Ares explained. “The Water Mages are peaceful people and are fierce protectors of our planet.”

The Paladins went inside the Castle and saw banners across the room with a table in the centre with food placed all over to which Hunk and Lance’s eyes lit up. “You may start eating.” Ares said as he chuckled, seeing the drools were coming out of the Yellow and Red Paladin’s mouth.

Without asking twice, Hunk and Lance dove right in and started eating the food. Pidge was only interested in the technology that Zelza had. Keith stood quietly as he heard a voice in his head. Someone was calling out to him. He felt an energy calling out to him like how he sensed the Blue Lion’s quintessence. But he thought it was just his imagination and dismissed it.

He looked around and saw Allura was looking through the tapestry on the walls. “Serene was like an aunt to me. Family. She had taught me little bit of how the Mages serve as peacekeepers.” Allura said.

“Yes, my mother had made an oath that one day that she would always protect us ancient mages. I believe that my mother was just protecting us with this barrier, in case if the Galra ever had found us.” Adelram said looking at the tapestry.

“Until, we had heard news that Mage Princess Kaela was the reincarnation of my mother.” Adelram said, turning to Allura and Keith.

“Yes, she was.” Keith said.

“I was aware that she had sacrificed herself to save the universe.” Adelram said as he saw Keith’s shoulders dropping and Allura’s sadden expression. “Too soon?”

“No, no. It’s just… it has been so hard to cope with her death. She would wanted us to move on with our lives.” Allura said as she held on to Keith’s hand tightly.

“My sister had done what she can to save us and all of realities.” Keith said with Lance coming towards him with a sympathy pat on the back and Pidge hugged Allura tightly.

“I may not know Mage Princess Kaela, but I see that she had brought you all together. United as one. United as a family.” Adelram said with a smile.

Allura smiled at her honorary cousin and hugged him. “Thank you.”

Adelram smiled and hugged her back. “No worries. Now, I must attend to important matters. Please, Paladins of Voltron, you may roam around the Castle and the villages. Wherever you like. The other mages are more than welcome to take you around.”

With Adelram leaving the Paladins with the brothers and his fiancé. He went to his room and closed the doors behind him. His shoulder’s started to shake as he began to laugh hysterically and leaned on the wall. “Ah! My plan is going well as planned! Brilliant! Perfectly!”

Adelram sauntered down to the deepest part of his Castle and looked at a revived Kaela. “Now, we just need to go to the next part of the plan. You’ll be the greatest weapon that all of Zelza ever had in 10,000 years. The Galra will soon perish.” Adelram laughed evilly softly as dark aura was surrounding them.

(~)

Keith walked around the Castle and saw young mages training in the training area with older Mages supervising them. He smiled and remembered Kaela was teaching him the Galra fighting moves from her early experiences in the Empire. She was a good teacher.

They spent an hour or two on training. Shiro would join in, but Kaela was more experienced than the two of them. She beat them in seconds. He could hear her laughter in his head after her victory of beating him in training in the Atlas.

(~)

_Kaela flipped Keith down on the ground with a victorious smile. He growled and tossed his bayard aside, putting up his fists up. He looked at his sister who grinned and put down her blades down and charged at him with a kick. Keith avoided every attack and kicks from her until she got his arm and then flipped him on the floor and pinned him down._

_“I win!” Kaela cheered as she laid down on the floor next to Keith._

_“Fine, but next time I’ll beat you, baby girl. You’ll see.” Keith panted tiredly._

_Kaela sat up with a smile. “Yeah, right. But learning these moves will take some time, Keith.”_

_“You’re right. Now, that we have finished training for the past three hours. Now it’s time to do something other than training.” Keith said as he stood up._

_“Like, trying to ask Allura out?” Kaela teased with a cheeky grin._

_Keith glared at her as he crossed his arms and his expression softened, leaving Kaela confused. “You think she would say yes?”_

_Kaela sat up and put a hand on his shoulder. “Of course. She would say yes. You two have been holding on to these feelings for so long. I have seen those looks. It’s the same with me and Koryak.”_

_“How about James?” Keith asked with a smirk._

_Kaela blushed and looked away. “W-what about him?”_

_“You and James have been spending a lot of time with each other. A lot of time together. You sure you aren’t denying your feelings for him?” Keith asked with a grin._

_“I’m sure. But I think he just sees me as his best friend.” Kaela said as she crossed her arms. “He only sees me as a friend.”_

_Acxa walked past with Mora behind her. “Not true, Kaela. He really does like you.”_

_“And he was always passing by your office with a bouquet of blue flowers.” Mora winked at her best friend. Kaela blushed deep red and looked away while her brother stood there with a smirk. She subtly smiled as she found out that James was the one who has been giving her blue flowers she has been seeing on her desk._

_“Looks like Kae-Kae has it bad for this young man.” Mora teased with a grin._

_“Kae-Kae?” Keith snickered hearing her new nickname and he looked at his sister who was glaring at him and given him an annoyed look._

_“Yes, Yorak?” Kaela asked with a smirk._

_Keith glared at her by using his actual birth Galra name in front of the girls. “Start running.”_

_Kaela squealed as she ran out of the training room passing by every member in the Atlas. Even passing by Shiro who was concentrating on his tasks while smiling at the two siblings. The hallways were filled with happy laughter from the siblings. It was completely normal for the Paladins but not the rest of the crew. It was new but different._

(~)

Lance stood beside Keith, watching the young mages training. “Remembering how she used to train us?”

“Yeah.” Keith replied quietly.

“She could’ve been a great teacher for the mages.” Lance smiled as he saw the kids were training with smiles on their faces. He looked over at Keith who seemed to be remembering how much Kaela wanted to go to Zelza and explore the planet with them.

“She would and she’d be travelling all over the universe by now.” Keith said with a small smile.

(~)

Allura and Pidge were looking at the records of the Mages in the library. Pidge was looking at the past Mages’s scroll and their ancient abilities that also linked to Oriande. She looked at the image of a floating Castle with four elemental stones that were floating around a light in the sky. Along with a white Phoenix with wings spreading as strands that links to all elemental tribes in Planet Zelza.

“Wow, Mages are so…. Fascinating.” Pidge breathed out in awe as she looked at the detailed pages that were painted. There was so many decorative on the edges of the painting with the official Zelzan language had been written.

“Yes, they are. Serene had shared her world to my father and to Zarkon. They all have become great friends. They are similar to Keith, Lance and Kaela. All have the determination to protect the universe.” Allura said as she brushed her fingers on the scrolls that laid on the desk in front of her and looked at every pillars that held all of the books.

“She would love it here.” Pidge said.

“I know. She would to. If only she were alive.” Allura said sadly.

“But at least, her death was not in vain.” Adelram appeared with a tray. “Thought you ladies might be thirsty.”

“Thank you.” Allura smiled gratefully. Pidge grabbed a piece of a cake from the tray as Adelram looked over the books that were placed all over the table.

“I see, you are learning our history.” Adelram said with a smile.

“Yes. Kaela always loved reading the legends. During her time with us, she would learn the secret arts of magic.” Allura said as she drank her tea.

Adelram nodded in understanding and then subtly used his powers to summon the Dark Creatures again underneath his robe sleeve. He looked at the two girls as they explored the next part of the library. He smiled wickedly as dark magic runs in his veins.

(~)

In the darkest part of the Castle, the Dark Creatures were screeching around the pod where a revived Kaela was resting. Strands of white hair started to appear. The pod cracked open with the Dark Creatures knocked down the doors as they flew all over the hallways and started attacking the servants inside the Castle.

Hunk was eating a few food in a tray and walked along until he heard screaming and shouting from the hallways. He dropped his food and summoned his bayard and started to shake. “H-Hello?”

He heard screeching noises as he saw the Dark Creatures again. “Oh, no! Oh, no!” Hunk exclaimed in fear as he started to shoot at them with his blaster. But it had no effect as the lights in the room were being destroyed one by one.

The Dark Creatures got him by the legs and started to drag him into endless darkness. Hunk whimpered in fear. They were snarling at him and opened its mouth, but they moved away to give way as they heard slow and steady footsteps in the empty, cold and dark hallways.

He gasped in horror. “No! No! You’re dead! You’re supposed to be dead! No please, no!” Hunk screamed in fear and the hallways were filled with the horror screams in the hallways.

(~)

Lance was in the throne room, looking through the pictures of Kaela and him. He chuckled when he saw Pidge trying to draw on his face, with Kaela stifling her laughs in the background. The next photo shows Lance was doing Kaela’s hair and put it in a braided bun with a purple ribbon. She was having fun braiding Allura’s hair. Then himself and Kaela dancing in the ballroom with Coran and Allura in the background. Lance almost stepped on her toe two times and then on the third time, she broke his two feet as punishment. Lance chuckled at the memory. He missed messing her around and telling her lame jokes every day and just spending time with her. Training with her and hearing her reading her books.

“Missing her, Lance?”

The Red Paladin looked up to see Coran was standing in front of him. “Oh, yeah. Just missing her a lot. She deserved better.” Lance said sadly as he shut off the hologram in his hands.

“Well, at least, she is in peace. She is with the spirits with Serene.” Coran comforted him.

“We watched her die! And I-I have nightmares. Every single day. O-of her death. A year ago. I-I wish we all had more time with her. I miss my sister a lot.” Lance said as he pounded his fists on the staircase.

Coran frowned seeing him mourn over Kaela. “Well, she’d never want to see us dwelling in the past. She’d want you to live your lives peacefully. That’s what she wants you to do.”

Lance nodded in understanding. “Come along, Pidge was looking for you everywhere in this enormous and glamorous Castle.” Coran said as he patted his back softly. They both walked down the staircase as they saw a black butterfly passing by.

Lance raised an eyebrow and watched it flying up to the crystal above them that hanged like a chandelier with crystals hanging. He gasped as he saw the butterfly was glowing. More like pulsing like a bomb. _Not again._ He pushed Coran out of the way as the throne room was caught in explosions.

Keith, Allura, Pidge and Shiro all heard an explosion inside the Castle. Adelram and the guards went to the throne room and saw the crystal was destroyed. “Lance!” Pidge cried out as she went to her boyfriend’s side. She saw Lance now has a scar on his right eyebrow.

“What happened, Coran?” Keith asked as he and Allura helped him up from the floor.

“I-I am not sure. But this felt like when evil Rover had destroyed the crystal back in the Castle of Lions.” Coran groaned as he rubbed his head.

“Adelram, do you know who might have caused this?” Allura asked the Mage Prince who was looking around the throne room.

“I am not sure. But I will get Gaius and the rest of the Mage soldiers on lookout for investigation.” Adelram replied.

“Okay, while he is doing that, we have to tell the crew to get all Mages to safety.” Keith said. “Has anyone seen Hunk?” Keith asked.

“No, I thought he was with Lance.” Shiro said as everyone now realised that he might be in danger. Pidge hugged her boyfriend in her arms and Allura came to her aid and help her to get him outside to safety. Every Mages came to the Castle as they got every servant out and the Paladins heard cries and screaming and mourning over several dead servants on the ground.

Keith and Shiro looked all over Hunk in the Castle until they saw him unconsciousness on the staircase that lead him to endless darkness. Keith saw his was pale and he was drained. “What happened to him?” Keith asked, seeing he was completely drained and dried out. Like something or someone had done something to him.

“Don’t know, but he needs medical attention.” Shiro said as the two got Hunk out of the Castle safely. They both carried him outside as Allura gasped in horror to see what state Hunk is in. The Healers came to Hunk’s aid with Pidge watching over him worriedly.

Adelram frowned as Mizuki stood with him by his side. “We will find out who had done this.” Mizuki nodded in agreement and she had ordered the soldiers to find out who had attacked them inside the Castle and led the Dark Creatures. Hunk was tended by Allura while Pidge looked after Lance inside one of the Water Mages’s healing tents. Keith could see some herbs that Kaela had used when she was with them. Keith looked around at the injured mages, he knew from the attack that there is a new enemy lurking. And they need to find out who.

(~)

In the Castle, Adelram passed by the room and saw Kaela was standing underneath a dead tree. Her hair is now white as snow and her tips were purple. The Mage Prince smiled in satisfactory that he could see some of the souls from a few mages. Adelram smiled and walked towards her. “Your time will come, dear sister. You will do exactly as I say.” Adelram cackled as he got a strand of her hair and wrapped it around a phoenix totem he had made, and flames engulfed around them as they teleported away from the Castle.


	3. Darkness Within All

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the attack in the Mages Castle, the Paladins tended to Lance and Hunk’s injuries, while they all devise a plan on how to find out who attacked Planet Zelza and the Mages.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is a new chapter! 
> 
> hope you all like it. Please comment and give feedback. It is much appreciated! 
> 
> Enjoy reading!

The Mage Healers healed both Lance and Hunk in their tents with the rest of the Paladins by their side. Pidge held Lance’s hand tightly, hoping he would walk up. Keith and Allura walked around the village and found that the soldiers haven’t find anyone who attacked them.

Mizuki and Suki were going through their security footage from their tablets. They still haven’t found anything yet. It has been years since the Dark Mages had attacked and set foot in Planet Zelza. They both could see that this is a serious threat. A big threat that every fears that their planet will be destroyed again.

“Anything yet, your highnesses?” Keith asked politely as he was determined to find someone who hurt their friend and the Mages. He also met a new Mage Princess of the Moon Tribe. Who turns out to be Mizuki’s younger sister.

“No.” Mizuki replied. “Not yet. We have not covered anything.”

“And how are your friends?” Suki asked.

“Hunk shown no signs of waking up. Lance is still healing.” Allura said as Keith rubbed her arm to comfort her. “Where’s Adelram?”

“He had gone to the North to do some other business to get all of the warriors to assemble and assist us in finding whoever had done this.” Mizuki replied as she looked over the mountains.

“Hey, have any of you seen Gaius?” Suki asked as she looked around the place. Seeing that he wasn’t present during the attack. All of them shook their heads and Suki sighed sadly but kept on having a smile on her face and continued her duties. “Please excuse me.”

(~)

Adelram stood in front of the table of the map of Zelza. He looked over the weapons that were all placed on the walls, with carvings decorated on the weapons and the walls. He heard his iron workers that working on the weapon that Adelram instructed them to build.

“Sire, they are all looking for us.” Gaius reported to his friend.

“Then we must hurry.” Adelram said as he got the scroll he was looking for. “Guards, make sure our dear sister is resting well after her revival.”

“Yes, sir.”

“What is our next move, Adel?” Gaius asked in curiosity as he held on to his spear and continued to make more decorative carvings.

“To see whether our sister is capable to do the next step. And I must go, Mizuki is waiting for me.” Adelram said as he took off flying towards the village without Gaius who sighed.

“Looks like I am just gonna run all the way to the village.” Gaius said to himself. He sighed as he readied himself for a long, long trip back to the village.

(~)

Keith, Allura, Shiro and Pidge were looking out for Hunk and Lance, who laid down on the beds in a magic tent that expands bigger. It looked like a luxury bedroom, enough for a lot of people to stay in. There was some beds on the other side of the tent. And there was a make shift kitchen and some other essentials.

They were all shaken up on what had happened. They had seen so many mages hurt and were drained out of their magic and energies. Hunk had his quintessence drained out of him and Lance got hurt protecting Coran by an explosion in the Castle.

Pidge was holding Lance’s hand tightly and stayed by his side. She was hoping he would wake up soon. She could see that he now has a scar on his right eyebrow. She brushed her fingers on his forehead. She peppered his face with soft kisses all over.

Adelram had seen his people were not coping with the attack and had ordered his men to get finest soldiers and mages to fight against Dark Creatures and Mages. He turned to the Paladins and walked towards them. “I am very sorry that your visit in Zelza was, well, in destructive circumstances.”

“It is alright. We will help you to find whoever had done this.” Allura said.

“We will help you. In any way we can.” Shiro offered.

“That would be such great help. Thank you.” Adelram bowed his head politely and saw Gaius had caught up.

“If there is anything alarming, please, tell either Suki or Gaius. I may have to talk about this to the other leaders.” Adelram said to the Paladins and Shiro.

“We will let you know if something comes up.” Keith spoke up for the first time as Adelram looked over his features. He could see markings on his face. Seemingly to be Galra. Keith seemed to notice he was looking at his markings. He seemed to be intrigued by his appearance.

“Of course. We are allies. We will assist with each other. Please excuse me.” Adelram smiled as he took his leave but looked back to see a Galran blade. He smiled subtly as he walked off and found his fiancée.

“Adelram, where were you?” Mizuki asked worriedly. 

“Not to worry. I was just scouting the North. I had to take a detour on the way.” Adelram replied as he hid the forbidden scroll from her. Not wanting her to know what he had been doing and planning.

“Okay. The people have been getting all of the Water Mages healing them. And Paladins Hunk and Lance haven’t woken up yet.” Mizuki said.

“Hmm, well, I think it is best if we let them stay for a couple days and see if there is some changes.” Adelram suggested. Mizuki nodded in agreement and looked around at the Water Mages were healing them. Mizuki walked off to help his sister Suki with the Water Mages in healing the servants from the Castle.

Adelram and Gaius walked side by side. “It appears that Black Paladin Keith has his own sister’s magic in him. And he is Galra as well.”

“What do you suppose we’d do?” Gaius asked.

“Oh, I have plans for them, but it will have to wait, Gaius. It will have to wait.” Adelram replied with a smirk.

(~)

Later at night, Keith was looking up at the night sky and was eating his meal quietly. He looked back at his fiancée and saw she was having a conversation with Pidge. Shiro left to fill in the Atlas crew on what had happened with Coran.

Kosmo whined and laid beside Keith who pet him affectionately. “It’s okay. She is awake. See the spirits?” Keith pointed up at the night sky where the spirits had appeared.

He remembered the time where Kaela was staying up in the bridge and was reading over the books. Whenever she can’t sleep, she would go to the bridge with books in hand and read them until she felt tired.

(~)

_Keith had finished training for the night and then he saw papers trailing towards the bridge. He sighed and chuckled, knowing it was his sister again. He walked down the hallways to the bridge while grabbing the papers from the floor. As he entered the bridge, Kaela was sitting down with the pile of books next her with the nebula passing by._

_Kaela was reading a book with her hair in a messy bun and a blanket wrapped around her. “Well, hello, bookworm.” Keith chuckled._

_“Heh. Hey, Keith.” Kaela smiled at her older brother as he kissed her on the head._

_“Can’t sleep?” Keith asked._

_Kaela nodded in response as she placed the book, she was reading on the pile next to her on her right. “I couldn’t sleep.”_

_Keith nodded and then looked out of the window. He saw the bright nebula was shining through the stars. “You know Dad would tell us stories back on earth on top of the roof.”_

_“And he fell over, didn’t he?” Kaela asked with a smile._

_“Yup. Twice. Made us laugh for hours.” Keith chuckled at the memory along with Kaela. Kaela wrapped her blanket around Keith and watched the stars outside from the window. They stayed there for a few moments. “You know, you remind me of our Dad. You two are similar in so many ways.”_

_“You think if Dad were here, he would be worried that we’re in space?” Kaela asked. “If he was still alive?”_

_“Yeah, he would. He would ground us for life.” Keith chuckled._

_“Oh, yeah. He definitely would. Big time.” Kaela agreed. Keith looked over her shoulder and grabbed one book from the pile. He looked through the books and the pages that were bookmarked. “I have been researching on how to use herbs to heal. And some pages helped me to heal with my powers.”_

_“You’ve been busy. You wanted to become a healer?” Keith asked._

_“Yes, as well as a Master Mage. But in order to become a Mage Master, you have to receive a diamond on the forehead. Just like Serene once had in this page.” Kaela explained as she turned the pages to see the image of Serene during her younger days as a Mage student._

_“Is that Coran?” Keith asked._

_“Yeah, and Alfor was there. Also Honerva and Zarkon. They were all good friends. They attended to her ceremony as a Master Mage.” Kaela said._

_“Looked like some friendships were made to be broken apart.” Keith said as he closed the book, setting it aside. “Also, between siblings. Their bonds can be broken and can be mended.”_

_“Yeah, true. But if we are apart, then I would always try and find you.” Kaela said with a smile. “You always have me.”_

_Keith smiled as Kaela leaned on his shoulder and rubbed her arm while singing a song to her. He sang so soft and it was soothing. “Sleep my little star, sleep safe and sound. Hear the waves calling you. Let the spirit guide you home.”_

_Once Kaela was fully asleep, Keith yawned and laid his head on her head and they both slept on Keith’s chair in the bridge with stars shining brightly._

(~)

Keith felt a hand and turned to see Allura smiling at him. “Keith, were you thinking about her?”

“Yeah, just remembered how much Kaela wanted to become a Master Mage and be here.” Keith replied. “She would’ve seen this place with us.”

Allura nodded and felt the soft breeze blowing in her face. She sighed contently as she looked up at the stars and the spirits were shining through the night sky. She remembered star gazing with Kaela and Pidge on that beach. They would look up at the night sky and make up stories themselves. She loved that memory.

She also remembered the training sessions she had with Kaela. She was a skilled warrior, courtesy of the Galra Empire. She had taught her some Altean fighting moves while they taught each other how to speak Zelzan.

“She is a star now. Isn’t that what her name means? Ella as in for star?” Allura asked.

Keith smiled and looked at his fiancée. He kissed her softly on the lips. “Yes. My dad chose that name. He calls her Little Star. The little star would always guide you to your loved ones.”

“Sounds just like her.” Allura hummed as she leaned on his shoulder. “Suits her perfectly.” Keith nodded in agreement and wrapped his arm around her.

Then they heard boxes falling down and they both turned to see Gaius was the one knocked down the boxes. “Sorry. I’m a bit clumsy. And Suki will kill me.” Gaius sighed.

“Oh, it is alright. I’m sure Suki would forgive you for uh, running out of potions.” Allura said.

“She’ll kill me in an instant.” Gaius said. “She has a really big temper when it comes to her stuff being destroyed.”

“Sounds like someone I know.” Keith smiled.

“Your younger sister?” Gaius asked in curiosity.

Keith nodded with a smile as he thought of his sister whenever she was cooking something. Lance would try and steal something she had cooked. Once she found out, Kaela would twist his wrist in the most painful way.

“I am deeply sorry for your loss.” Gaius said. “I may not know her, but I could see that she cares and loved all of you. She is very lucky to have you.”

“Thanks.” Keith smiled sincerely with Allura holding his hand.

Gaius could see the love between them easily. He felt the same emotions towards Mizuki, but she is engaged to his best friend, Adelram. He lost his chance. He will always be there for his best friends. Until his very last breath.

“So, Gaius, are you an elemental mage soldier?” Allura asked.

“No, your highness, I am just a mere loyal Guard.” Gaius replied. “I serve the royal Mage Princes and Princesses, but we all know each other since we are all childhood friends. We lived to serve our people and I am there to protect them.”

“Adelram led them alone or he works together with the other Mages?” Keith asked.

“Yes, he does. Though he does have a strong hate towards Galra. But I am sure he will warm up to the idea of them working together in the Voltron Coalition. Our people are once peacekeepers and are now warriors. We may fight alongside you.” Gaius smiled politely.

Then Suki flew by with herbs. “Okay, I have some herbs for your friends Paladins.” Gaius covered the crushed flasks with his cape and stood in front of it. “It should be able to help your friends.” Suki said as she gave the boxes to Allura.

“Oh, thank you. It is most appreciated.” Allura smiled as she went inside the tent to give it to the boys.

“We will let you know if they wake up.” Keith said.

“Yes, of course. No problem at all.” Suki nodded with a kind smile as Gaius looked into her silver-blue eyes.

Suki caught him staring into her eyes and he adverted his gaze and looked down on the ground. “Sorry.”

Suki giggled. “It’s alright. Uh, well, I should get going. Mizuki is cooking dinner and Adelram is with her right now. You want to join?”

“Me? No, no. I should really not intrude.” Gaius replied with a shy smile. “B-besides I should really get going.”

“Your mother is with them.” Suki said quickly.

“Wait, what?” Gaius asked. “I thought my mother was busy in the bakery in the village.”

“No. Adelram and my sister went to have dinner there. So, basically, we are at your house. Your mother wants you to join.” Suki giggled.

Gaius sweat nervously and was in deep thought until he sighed in defeat. “Fine. But she’d better not make fun of me like the last time you went to the bakery.”

“Oh, I will make sure she tell us your embarrassing stories.” Suki grinned.

(~)

Gaius and Suki arrived at the bakery and Adelram was setting up the table for them. “Ah! He is here!”

“Oh, finally. Your mom was getting to the best part of the story.” Mizuki grinned as Gaius groaned in annoyance.

“Mother, don’t. Please.” Gaius pleaded.

“Oh, nonsense. It is good to have laughter.” Gaius’s mother said with a smile. “Now, get the soup all ready.”

Gaius nodded as he went up the stairs to get changed into his everyday clothes and saw his sister’s room’s door was opened. He suddenly heard echoed laughter from her room. He closed the door and locked it. He didn’t want to hear her laughter anymore. He was pushing more of his memories of his own sister back.

He went down and saw Suki was cooking the food. She was carefully cutting the vegetables on the cutting board. He smiled and then went to cook the soup with his mother’s secret ingredients and mixed herbs that Suki had brought.

Mizuki smiled seeing her younger sister and Gaius together. “They look great together.”

Adelram nodded in agreement. “Yes. I can arrange some papers for their marriage.”

Gaius’s mother laughed. “Oh, I am sure Gaius is not ready for marriage. Not now. He had said that he is still focused on his duties.”

Adelram looked at his best friend and saw him having a friendly conversation with Suki in the kitchen. He turned to his fiancée who also could see the feelings between them were strong but were keeping a minimal distance from each other.

Suki had a secret crush on Gaius during childhood but knew he loved Mizuki. And her older sister is getting married to Adelram. It has been arranged by their parents at a young age. “Gaius, here. For the soup.”

“Thanks.” Gaius said as their hands brushed against each other and Suki blushed lightly with Gaius smiling in amusement. “Um, could you get those bowls on the table?”

Suki nodded and then put the bowls as dinner had started. Dinner went smoothly as Gaius has nothing to worry about. Except for the part where Adelram had successfully revived one of the Paladin’s sister. He has plans for them and he is working with him. he is hiding this from his own mother and his two other best friends.

Gaius stood up and wiped his mouth. “Please, excuse me for a moment.”

Suki frowned and watched him going into the attic where he and the others would always play during their childhood. She stood up and followed him up in the attic. She saw him sitting down by the window and he was smoking. Much to her concern. He had quit smoking a year ago and now he is doing it again.

“Yup. Something is definitely wrong.” Suki said.

“What? With you?” Gaius asked with concern.

“No. No. With you. You seemed quiet.” Suki said as she sat next to him by the window. She looked at him with concern. Knowing there was something wrong with him.

“Nothing really. It’s just… I am thinking.” Gaius replied as he put the cigarette down. “The attack on the Castle left us to preparing ourselves for war again.”

“I know you and Adelram will figure out a way to defeat them. I know it. You two are like heroes to us all. Don’t forget that your sister was the one who helped you to become a soldier that every child here admires.” Suki said.

Gaius smiled. “I wouldn’t say hero. But I am just a mere soldier.”

“Not any soldier. You helped the villagers and have odd jobs in the day time. You even help out your mother in the bakery.” Suki smiled. “You help others so much and I am here helping my people with their resources. I am the Second Mage Princess of the Moon tribe. I have to take the responsibility for that role. Since my sister is going to be marrying Adel.”

Gaius nodded. “That is quite a huge responsibility. You can always say that you need help. I’ll be there.”

“Thank you. And have you got word from the Head General?” Suki asked as she sat down next to him in front of the window.

“Not yet, I’m afraid. I wanted to become the Captain of the Royal Guard, so I can be closer to you.” Gaius smiled.

Suki blushed and looked away. Gladly that he didn’t see it. “O-Oh, you don’t have to protect me all the time.”

“Come on. It’s my job.” Gaius smirked.

The two best friends laughed in the attic. It can be heard from Adelram and Mizuki from downstairs. Also Gaius’s mother. “They seemed to be getting along very well.”

“Oh, yes. Quite indeed. And I hear wedding bells.” Adelram teased with a grin.

Mizuki rolled her eyes as she smiled at her fiancé. “Suki is not a fan of marriage. Yet she is engaged to another.”

“What? She is, but… but she is too young to get married now.” Adelram said. He is protective of Suki as well as Mizuki. He views Suki as a younger sister. His own sister and Suki were best of friends during childhood. She knew how much Suki hates arranged marriages and being forced to get married to someone she doesn’t even know.

“She hates every guy she sees for a marriage interview!” Adelram exclaimed.

“I know. She and I tried to cancel the marriage, but it is already done.” Mizuki said.

“Alright. I’ll see what I can do to try and cancel the marriage for you girls.” Adelram offered. “I can be very convincing.” Mizuki rolled her eyes playfully and kissed him on the lips softly.

“Aw, come on. I don’t want to see that!” Suki gagged as Mizuki giggled in amusement. Gaius was covering his own eyes with Suki’s hand.

Adelram smiled in amusement when he saw his best friend smiling at Suki. It seemed like things between them will spark something between them. “Gaius, I’ll be taking Mizuki home. You make sure that Suki gets home safely as well.”

“I will.” Gaius nodded with a smile.

“And Miss Bellweather, thank you for the wonderful dinner.” Adelram smiled at her best friend’s mother.

“Oh, you’re welcome. But I think it is all my son’s great cooking skill that made your night.” Miss Bellweather said with a proud smile.

(~)

Keith was laying on the ground seeing the stars shooting in the star and closed his eyes for a moment and then the next thing he was in a field with blue flowers. He opened his eyes and saw Kaela smiling down at him. His head was on her lap. He tried to speak but he couldn’t. Kaela stood up and helped him up with a smile.

He could see she was slightly older and with a leather headband and a blue and purple dress. Her hair was tied up in a two braided pigtails. She caressed his markings and kissed him on the forehead. Keith could feel the warmth from her hands. She trailed her finger to write something on his palm and then she disappeared.

He was in an endless void and heard blood dripping on the ground. He turned around and gasped. He saw all of the paladins lay dead on the ground. He saw Kaela with white hair and glowing red eyes. She was holding a blade that was tainted with blood. Her arms are filled with cracks and has no runes anymore. Then she started to run towards him. Keith stumbled a bit and then fell backwards on the ground and saw her swinging her blade at him.

He woke up with a fright and panted with cold sweat. He looked at a peaceful sleeping Allura by his side. He calmed down his breathing and then stepped outside of the tent and felt the fresh air.

“Keith?”

The young paladin turned around to see James coming towards him. “Oh, it’s just you.” Keith sighed in relief as he put his hands on his knees. Still shaking from seeing those dreams or visions. Maybe it meant something?

“Yeah, are you okay?” James asked, seeing him so distressed.

“I’m… I just had a dream or a vision. I saw Ella.” Keith said as he rubbed his eyes.

“I heard from Kaela that visions can be real. So, what did you see?” James asked as he sat next to him.

“I saw…. Kaela in the field of blue flowers, surrounding us. She looked older. She was smiling at me and she was drawing something on my hand. I didn’t know what it means. The next thing I heard blood dripping. I saw the others dead. That’s when I saw her. She has white hair and glowing cracks on her arms. She had glowing red eyes.” Keith explained in a shaky voice.

James thought long and hard about Kaela being envisioned as a killer in his vision. She would never kill anyone. Or the paladins. Or her brother. “She…she can’t be a killer. And she is…. dead.” James said as he tried so hard not to say the last word that has been spoken.

“I hope this doesn’t come true.” Keith said. James nodded in agreement and they sat in silence outside of the tent.

(~)

Gaius and Suki walked along the path under the bright moon. Gaius walked silently as he observed the place. He could see Dark Creatures were watching over him and Suki. He looked at Suki who was clearly focused on looking up the stars and was smiling brightly.

“So...” Gaius cleared his throat. “Busy day, tomorrow?” _Stupid question! Of course it is a busy day! She’s the princess!_

“Yes. Well, sort of. I just don’t want to return back to the Castle.” Suki replied.

Gaius raised his eyebrow and looked at the palace above them. He thought she’d always love her life in the palace. She was living the life she wanted. “I thought you like your life up there.”

“That’s what everyone thought. I never liked it.” Suki replied with her hands rubbing together, trying to get warmth from the cold.

“Why is that?” Gaius asked.

Suki stopped in her tracks. So did he. He looked at the Princess’s body language. “Su?”

“I… I have been in an arranged marriage for months now.” Suki said.

Gaius’s eyes widened in shock and frowned. “But you aren’t into arranged marriages.” Gaius pointed out.

“It has already been decided, Gaius.” Suki said. “There is nothing we can do. It was already been made when you went out for training.”

“When you were going to tell me? Or Adelram?” Gaius asked with a hint of anger in his voice. He doesn’t know why he was acting like this. Is he… jealous? Or he is just protective?

“I was about to. In our letters.” Suki replied. “But I thought it would be better if I told you in person.”

The two both stopped in the middle of the path towards the palace. Gaius still had this frown on his face and looked away from the Moon Princess. Suki knew Gaius wouldn’t like it when she kept things away from him. He doesn’t like it. He tends to get protective. It is in his nature. He is a guard. He is a soldier of all Zelza.

“Gaius, I swear. I was about to tell you.” Suki said sincerely at her best friend. She was about to speak up until another Mage appeared.

“Something wrong with my fiancée, Gaius?” said a winged Prince of the fairies.

“No, your highness. I am just accompanying her, your highness.” Gaius said politely.

Suki watched him leave with a face of guilt. She was about to go after him, but her fiancé blocked her way. “Come on. Your dear sister is waiting.”

Suki sighed and nodded and they both flew up to the Castle with her fiancé by her side with Gaius watching with a defeated expression on his face. He never knew she was engaged to the Prince of the Fairies.

(~)

Adelram was looking through the prints of the cannon from the iron workers. He had given orders to them on where it should be placed. He sent out more soldiers to find some more iron and metals in the furthest villages. He heard the doors opening and saw Gaius coming in. “Ahh. Gaius, good. You’re here. I need your—Are you alright?” Adelram asked seeing in an angered expression. He put his mission and plans aside and turned his full attention to his oldest friend.

“I’m alright.” Gaius replied short which made Adelram even more worried.

“That doesn’t sound like you, my friend.” Adelram noted.

“Have you heard that Suki is engaged to that… that… winged Prince up in the North?” Gaius asked.

“I heard from Mizuki that she is engaged. But not engaged to a WINGED PRINCE?!” Adelram shouted and cleared his throat. “A winged Prince of the North. I heard of him. Self-centred that one.”

“Yeah, I met him.” Gaius said as his outburst didn’t startle him. He was used to it. “I don’t know why I am acting like this.”

Adelram’s mood changed from anger to cheery one. He knew what was up from his best friend. He is in love with the second princess of the Moon Tribe. Such great news to see. “Oh, that is because it’s love, Gaius. You are in love with her.”

“What? Adel, we are just best friends.” Gaius chuckled nervously and looked away from him immediately as he started to fidget with his fingers nervously. “Just friends.”

“You cannot lie to me, my friend.” Adelram chuckled as he grinned. “Now, can you please check on our dear sister in her chambers. We must proceed as planned.”

Gaius nodded and stood up to go down to the chambers. “But a moment my friend, if things do get out of hand. I want you to look after the Moon Princesses. In case if something does happen.” Adelram requested.

Gaius looked at his best friend and bowed. “Of course, sire.”

The royal guard proceeded to go down to the chambers down below the mansion. He saw white flowers all over the branches on the trees. He walked along the path and saw her standing in front of a dead tree. Her white hair was blowing gently in the wind and she stood still in peace and quiet.

“She cannot talk just yet.” Adelram said as he walked down the stairs.

“And her soul?” Gaius asked.

“In her spirit totem. She will make her appearance soon. It is just some things I need to take care before I proceed with the plan.” Adelram said with a sly smirk.

“Adel, please, you are not thinking of doing something with that fiancé of hers.” Gaius groaned.

“Hmm, you’ll see in the morning.” Adelram chuckled in amusement. Gaius then punched him on the arm and the young Mage Prince laughed whole-heartedly with Gaius joining in.

(~)

Keith had gone back to sleep next to Allura and James stayed outside of the tent as he looked up at the night sky. He remembered that moment he had spent with Kaela in the Atlas after asking her if she’d eat dinner with him. He, in a way, asked her for a dinner date back in the Atlas.

_“Okay, Hunk’s cooking is out of this world.” James said as he rubbed his stomach. He loved the dishes that Hunk made._

_“He has done with the sauce. And of course he needed my help of cooking that cake he always wanted to try out.” Kaela said._

_“Wait, you cooked this? You can cook?” James asked incredulously at her with eyes widened._

_Kaela laughed at his reaction. It was cute to see this reaction from her best friend. “Yes, I can cook. I help him and Sal all the time. I sometimes cook for the Paladins after a long period time of training.”_

_“Wow, you can fight, you can make herbs, can heal people, paint and you can cook? What else can’t you do?” James asked._

_“I don’t know.” Kaela grinned. “How about you? What can you do besides piloting?”_

_James looked at her in her light purple eyes and smiled. “Well, I uh, can do some machinery work also. Engineering. Um, I can craft any jewellery.”_

_“Really?” Kaela asked._

_“Yeah, I made that locket with my mother.” James replied._

_“I didn’t know you made it.” Kaela said, looking at the lockets they were wearing. “I love the details you and your mother put into this.”_

_“And I also can play guitar.” James said as he rubbed his neck nervously._

_“Hmm, sounds very nice.” Kaela giggled._

_“Yeah, my dad used to teach me.” James said._

_“Oh, you never mentioned your dad.” Kaela said as she noticed his expressions had changed. Seems something was bothering him. Or something must’ve happened between them during her absence._

_“That’s because he and I aren’t living together. I moved to the Garrison to become a pilot. To do something better. To help people. To serve people.” James explained. “After that, I never spoke to him.”_

_“So, you ever thought you can give him a call or anything?” Kaela asked as she frowned._

_“No. Never. He left my mother and my sister during the Galra invasion. He never cared for his family. I lost my mother and sister that day.” James replied with anger carrying in his voice. He held his hands together as he looked out of the window._

_Kaela held his hands in hers and he looked at her. “I’m sorry.”_

_“It’s okay. It wasn’t your fault.” James said. Kaela laid her head on his shoulder and James wrapped an arm around her as they both watched the stars together. James saw that Kaela fell asleep on his shoulder and he smiled, wrapping a blanket around them with a smile._

(~)

James smiled at that memory. They spent their time there a lot longer that caused the Paladins panicking throughout the day. He turned around and saw Keith coming out of the tent again, but this time he was looking for something. “What’s wrong? Another vision?” James asked worriedly.

“No. No. I heard a voice. It sounded like hers.” Keith said as he looked around the Water Tribe. He was hearing her voice in his head when they first arrived in Zelza. First, he was now having dreams or visions about her and now he is hearing her voice again.

“Keith, have you told the others you have been having these dreams and you heard her voice?” James asked.

Keith shook his head and ran his hands through his hair and dump some water in his face from the lake. Then remembered that Kaela has been experienced this when she was hearing the Lion’s talking to her in her head. And also hearing Serene’s voice. But that only happened when Kaela needed guidance from her.

(~)

Adelram was doing some last finishing touches with his preparations with his wedding and saw a winged prince coming in his study. “Who are you, young man?” Adelram asked.

“Oh, Prince Alvah, your highness. Your new soon-to-be brother-in-law.” Prince Alvah replied.

“Ah, Suki’s…. fiancé.” Adelram gritted his teeth as he watched him going through his things in his study. He broke his quail pen and then chucked it in the bin. “Ah, so you are here to talk or just here to look around?”

“I thought I could help you with your wedding plans. I heard you guys are doing the ceremony in the village. Why not in the Castle?” Alvah asked as he looked over his papers on the table.

“It was MY fiancée’s decision. She wanted to see the joyful looks from the village, and I agree to that idea.” Adelram said. “It is a simply yet, wonderful idea.” He was trying so hard not to use his powers on him. He views him as a nuisance and annoyance. One of the most self-centred Prince he had ever met and seen in all of Zelza.

“Well, I thought you would be more of a private couple. I’m sure Suki will change her mind of the ceremony setting.” Alvah said.

Adelram’s eye twitched and then pointed his dagger at his face. Alvah gasped softly and looked into the young mage prince’s eyes. “Maybe you should consider on listening to her, you moron. Or better yet, treat her better. If you ever do something so unforgivable, I will most likely to cut out your wings.”

Alvah gulped and then heard snarling from the ceiling and saw one of the Dark Creatures. “Y-You’re… You were the one who attacked the castle. You were the one who did this to the mages!”

Adelram’s calm demeanor had melted away into a crazed laughter, sounded maniacal to Alvah as he had seen a different personality from the young Mage Prince. “Ahh, The Mages serve as a great advantage. And the power will be mine! ALL MINE!”

Alvah gasped softly as he tried to grab a weapon in the office, but his wrist was caught by someone. Alvah looked behind him and whimpered when his eyes met with cold red eyes staring in his soul. He had seen red glowing cracks all over the young woman’s arms and her face. She grabbed him by the neck and then Alvah started to struggle in her hold as his soul and mana has been flowing out of him and he screamed in agonising pain. 


	4. Abomination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith has been having his own visions that lead him to believe that there will the pain and destruction upon the them, while Prince Adelram proceeds his plan in taking down the Galra and the Paladins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's Chapter 4! There are more coming soon! Stay Tuned! 
> 
> Enjoy reading! Please leave a comment and give feedback. it is much appreciated.

Keith was wandering, laying on his bed next to Allura, thinking about the visions he had last night. He wondered what it meant. Maybe Kaela was telling him something. She did write something on his hand. He looked at his hand and saw nothing. _Maybe it was a dream._

The bed started to shift, and the sheets were pulled by Allura who was sleeping peacefully. He smiled a bit and kissed her on the forehead. He got up and heard monitors beeping and looked over at Lance’s bed. He still hasn’t woken up yet. The Water Mage Healers had healed him a day ago.

With Hunk, still nothing. He hasn’t woken up yet. He heard Pidge coming inside the tent with food and water. “Hey, they given us food.” Pidge said as she put the trays on the table.

“Thanks.” Keith said.

Pidge raised an eyebrow in curiosity and saw some dark circles underneath his eyes. “You okay? It looked like you haven’t got a good and peaceful sleep.”

Keith sighed and then rubbed his eyes tiredly. “I’m okay. Just had some weird dreams.”

“What kind of dreams?” Pidge asked as she ate the food from the tray.

Keith sat down on a chair and started eating his meal, while explain what he had seen in his dreams. Or vision. He had explained everything to Pidge about his dreams or visions. It seemed like it is real. Like felt like it is going to come true. He wanted to know what Kaela was telling him in his dreams.

“And you said, you heard her voice inside your head?” Pidge asked.

“Yeah, but it was faint.” Keith replied. “It also sounded like I can hear another woman’s voice inside my head.”

Pidge nodded in understanding. She was thinking of what Keith had told her. Kaela having white hair, red eyes, glowing cracks and had seemingly killed them. Doesn’t sound like her at all. All she knows she is a kind, generous, caring and passionate woman she had ever known. Kaela would never hurt her own family.

“Have you told Allura?” Pidge asked.

“Not yet. But I will.” Keith replied.

(~)

Suki, Apollo and Ares walked to the Water tribe camp. They saw a few mages were healed. “Looks like the Healers had done well in healing them.” Ares said.

“Yes, and we still haven’t found out who had done this to our people.” Apollo said as he saw the Paladins were outside of the tent. They were sent out because two Mage healers were tending to the two injured mages inside. Allura and Pidge were sitting next to each other and Keith had left with James to talk with Shiro and Coran in the Atlas and discuss on what they will do.

Suki approached the two girls. “Hello. Morning.”

“Oh, hello, Suki. We are just waiting for them to finish up.” Allura said kindly.

“I see. We came to see the progress.” Suki said with a warm smile and sat down next to the Altean Queen. “I assure you that the Water Mages are such great healers. Like your… Mage Princess Kaela.”

“Yes, she was a great healer. She had helped a lot people in the Coalition.” Allura smiled.

“And helped us to develop technology.” Pidge smiled as she remembered Kaela helping her with the Castle defense system, attempting to brand it with her magic but it didn’t work.

“She must’ve been an inspiration to everyone.” Apollo said as he sat on a boulder while his brother Ares was standing up, listening to the conversation attentively.

“She was.” Allura nodded. “But she still lives in our hearts. And we all promised her that we all live our lives to the fullest.”

After a few minutes, the Paladins have bonded with the Mages. They were great people to get along with. And they were becoming the great allies in their expanded Coalition. Mages were once peacekeepers of the universe and now they all are now warriors. They have a strong belief that all kinds of nature in their planet is alive and is always guiding them.

A healer went out of the tent and said, “One of them is awake. You may see him.”

Allura and Pidge gasped softly, and both went inside the tent and saw Lance was the one who had woken up. Lance smiled at his girlfriend and friend. “Hey, girls. Sharpshooter is alright.”

Pidge just jumped on the bed and hugged her boyfriend tightly with tears flowing down her cheeks. Allura had a few tears and sighed in relief with the Mage Princess and Princes smiled, watching the heartfelt reunion.

“Hunk?” Lance asked if his best friend is awake.

Pidge just shook her head and looked over at Hunk’s bed. He still laying there, still breathing. “He hasn’t woken up yet.”

“Someone will pay dearly for this.” Allura said with determination and turned to the Mages. “Has Adelram returned to the Castle? I wish to speak with him.”

“He is in a meeting with the soldiers right now. But me and my brother will let him now that your friend is awake.” Ares said as the two Princes took their leave.

“Oh, I must tell Keith immediately.” Allura smiled as she went out of the tent and ran towards the Atlas.

Suki was left alone with two Paladins and she nervously helped Pidge to assist Lance to sit up straight. “Thank you, your highness.” Lance smiled.

“Pleasure. I should help anybody in any way I can.” Suki said while she got some cups of water for the Paladins.

“So, what’s going to happen now? I mean, we can’t leave Hunk here.” Lance said, looking at his best friend.

“Don’t worry, your friend will be healed in no time.” Suki assured him.

“But he is in a coma.” Pidge pointed out sadly as Lance gasped softly and he held his girlfriend’s hand tightly and kissed on the back of her hand.

Then they all heard Keith and Allura coming in. Keith smiled and greeted Suki with a small smile and hugged Lance. “Good to see you up again.” Keith said.

“Thanks, man.” Lance replied with a weak smile as he sat up straight. “Hunk’s in a coma, isn’t he?”

Both Keith and Allura both looked at each other with crestfallen looks and turned to Lance. “Yeah, he is in a coma. But the Mage Healers had tried everything they could.”

“But he will certainly wake up.” Allura said positive that Hunk will wake up soon.

“I talked to Shiro. We have to take off Planet Zelza.” Keith said.

“And leave Hunk?” Pidge questioned.

“No, we won’t leave him. But a few Mages will accompany us to find a way to help Hunk.” Keith said. “And we just need to talk to Prince Adelram.”

“Prince Apollo and Prince Ares just left to notify him. He is just in a meeting.” Suki smiled. “And I have here to tell you that I’ll be going with you.”

“Oh, that would be most helpful.” Allura smiled grateful at the young mage Princess.

(~)

Adelram was finished putting some canisters in a vault and with a small wicked smile he closed the doors behind him. He looked over his desk and saw some papers regarding his own wedding and letters from the other villages.

“Adelram?” The young prince looked up and saw his other friends.

“Gaius, what can I do to help?” Adelram said as he put up one of his rarest smiles.

“Uh, okay. Um, one of the paladins is awake and the other, not yet to have any progress. And why is Suki’s fiancé was not present in the meeting?” Gaius asked.

Adelram innocently whistled and walked around his desk. “No. No, No, No. You didn’t do anything to him did you?” Gaius asked, fearing that he had done something he should not have done.

“Well, at first I didn’t do it. Until he had found out that I was responsib—Mizuki! Hello, my dear. Come in.” Adelram said quickly as he saw his fiancée coming in the room.

“Have you see Prince Alvah? I can’t find him anywhere.” Mizuki asked.

“No. Not at all.” Adelram replied.

“Gaius, you have seen him, right?” Mizuki turned to the royal guard.

“No.” Gaius shook his head.

“Mizuki rubbed her temple as she sighed deeply. “Okay, if one of you goofballs found him, please let him know that he is needed.” Both Gaius and Adelram nodded and watched her leave Adelram’s office.

The royal guard turned to Adelram who looked away from him and pretended he was busy to look at the scrolls. Gaius was shaking his head. “No, no, no. You did something to him. Where is he now?”

Adelram looked at him and sighed. “Fine. I did do something rather rash, but he deserved it.”

Gaius rubbed his eyes tiredly, then sighed. “Okay, where is he now?”

Adelram pointed at the cupboard as Gaius walked towards it and saw a canister with a light orb inside it. “You didn’t.” Gaius said in disbelief.

“Oh, yes. I did. He found out that I was the one who is responsible for the destruction of the Castle and the Mages being drained.” Adelram said as he sat down on the chair with a smirk on his face. “Oh, and he insulted my choice for my wedding.”

Gaius raised an eyebrow at him and then looked at the canister in his hands. “His whole kingdom will go ballistic about this.”

“Oh, don’t worry. Everything will work out.” Adelram said as he stood up from his chair. He took the canister from him and walked towards the cupboard. “And I am proceeding as planned.”

“The Paladins are going to take off our planet and take their beloved friends with them. But you’ll be accompanying them with the rest of the Mages while I am going to stay here to take care come business with Apollo. Ares will be accompanying you. As well as Suki.” Adelram said.

“How about Mizuki?” Gaius asked.

“She’ll be staying with me.” Adelram replied as he put the scrolls away.

(~)

Allura watched as Hunk was being taken inside the Atlas aided by the doctors. Lance was leaning on Pidge for support. He felt a little dizzy and wobbly when he was walking, so his girlfriend was helping him to stand and work properly.

Ares, Suki along with another Mage Princess named Misty. She is an Earth Mage, leader of the Earth Mages. “Queen Allura, this is Earth Mage Misty, leader of the Earth Mages.” Ares introduced as Misty smiled at the Altean Queen.

“Pleasure to meet your acquaintance.” Allura smiled politely with Misty bowing in respect.

“The pleasure is all mine.” Misty said. “I am deeply sorry for what has happened with your friend.”

“It is quite alright.” Allura replied as she watched Sam taking the pod that they have found. Pidge had explained that he had taken interest and wanted to examine as he detected a power surge coming from the pod.

Adelram sent his regards to the Paladins and his fiancée. “Suki, Mizuki and I will look after our people and Gaius will be accompanying you in this journey to assist the Paladins.” Adelram said.

“And make sure you are being careful. No injuries at all.” Mizuki said sternly as she caressed her cheeks. “I don’t want to see my baby sister get hurt.”

Keith’s eyes softened and shoulders dropped when he saw the bond between the two sisters. It reminded him of his sibling relationship with Kaela. Allura knew he missed her, and she held his hand in hers and kissed his cheek. Keith smiled and kissed her hand as they both walked inside the Atlas.

“Gaius, look after my sister, will you?” Mizuki requested with a bright smile on her face.

“I’ll protect her with my life.” Gaius promised as he smiled at a blushing Suki but still smiled gratefully at him.

“Gaius? A word?” Adelram and Gaius went out of the hearing range from the Moon sisters. They looked around to make sure no one was listening. Adelram spoke up in a low voice. “Our dear sister is that pod. The plan is going smoothly.”

“Then what will happen?” Gaius asked.

“She’ll destroy the Galra. All of them!” Adelram whispered. “It is almost time.”

Gaius looked over at the Paladins who were speaking to Ares and Misty near the entrance to the Atlas. He frowned as he thought the plan was too risky, but he pledged his own loyalty to one of his oldest friends.

Adelram noticed his gaze at a particular person and he saw his friend was looking at Suki who was talking to the paladins with her sister. He raised an eyebrow and looked back at Gaius. “Don’t worry, my friend, Suki will not be harmed. I promise you that.”

Gaius nodded reluctantly as he grabbed his spear and bags. He walked towards the Atlas with everyone ready to take off with the Paladins while aiding them in the further star systems and find whoever is controlling the Dark Creatures which Gaius knew secretly.

(~)

“And this is the cafeteria! Where Hunk works.” Lance said with a big smile on his face as the Mages looked around curiously. The Mages explored their vessel and their quarters and stations. Gaius and Suki looked at the fighters in the hangars. Gaius and Suki were in awe when they saw it. One of the pilots, James Griffin smiled and greeted them with a warm welcome.

“Welcome to the Atlas, your highnesses.” James said politely.

“Yes thank you.” Suki smiled. “Although, Gaius, here is just a humble royal guard.”

“Oh, sorry.” James said.

“It is quite alright.” Gaius smiled and then turned to the painted fighter. “Are you painting war paint on your fighter?”

“No, I am using my, uh, well, best friend’s paint. I paint her usual colours on my ship.” James replied. Their status was more open. People would say that they are together. James and Kaela would keep their relationship secret during their mission to defeating Honerva until some realised they held secret romantic feelings for each other.

“So, you are honouring Mage Princess Kaela?” Suki asked, finding very sweet of Officer James Griffin was honouring Kaela.

James nodded with a smile as he put the paint away on the table. Lance and Pidge walked in the hangars with some refreshments. Pidge gave a glass of calming tea to everyone.

“I have heard from Paladin Lance that you have fallen in love with Mage Princess Kaela.” Gaius said to James. He dropped the paintbrush and then glared at Lance who smiled sheepishly. Pidge almost choked on her drink while Suki smiled.

“There is nothing to be ashamed about being in love.” Suki said. “You do love her, and you kept her memory alive. You meant a lot to her.”

James smiled and looked at the lockets on the table. He put them around his neck. “Yes, your highness, she was my everything.”

Gaius smiled at the sight of the young man who had loved his childhood friend. He relate himself for that as he loved his childhood friend and now, he is falling in love with Suki. But she is to be married to another Prince she barely knew. And she doesn’t know that her soon-to-be brother-in-law had done something to him.

“I am sure you want to see the bridge.” James said, walking towards Gaius.

“Oh, yes, please.” Gaius said.

(~)

Keith was in the bridge looking through his sister’s journal and saw some drawings and paintings on her pages. He smiled when he saw a painting of a Black and Blue Lion together that was shaped into a love heart.

He also found printed photographs of himself with her. He saw the one with him teaching Kaela how to sharpen her blades. Keith and Kaela dancing in the ballroom with Shiro dancing with Allura. That was the time when they all decided to surprise her to celebrate all of her birthdays.

(~)

_There was a knock on his door and Keith turned towards the doors and saw Lance, Pidge and Hunk swooping in from the entrance. He raised an eyebrow in confusion. “Yeah?”_

_“Do you have a minute?” Hunk asked._

_“Only a short while, I’ll be training Kaela in the training deck with Shiro. Why?” Keith asked, sitting up from his bed._

_“Well, we were wondering when Kaela’s birthday is?” Lance asked, coming in his room._

_“Why do you want to know her birthday? You thinking of asking her on a date, I don’t approve.” Keith deadpanned._

_“W-what? No! No!” Lance scoffed with a pink blush on his face. “I-I mean I don’t like her t-that way.”_

_“What Lance is trying to say is that, we were trying to help you catch up with all of her birthdays. You know celebrate her birthday with us.” Pidge said as she adjusted her glasses._

_“Yeah, yeah! I cooked her favourite meals and everything. Please tell us!” Hunk exclaimed in excitement._

_Keith sighed. “It’s November the 10 th.” _

_The trio paled and looked at each other. They seriously missed her birthday. They missed her birthday! “WE ALL MISSED IT!” They all shouted._

_“Well, we can celebrate her birthday next year.” Keith pointed out._

_“No, we are doing this for you guys. You missed celebrating her birthdays while she was in the Galra Empire. So, we are going to help you guys to have blessed happiness together. Don’t you want to celebrate her birthday with you?” Lance asked._

_Keith took a moment to think about how he missed his own little sister’s birthdays throughout the years. It might be good to spend time with his sister celebrating her birthday. “I do want to celebrate her birthday. But isn’t that too early?” Keith asked._

_“What is too early?”_

_Lance and Hunk exclaimed in surprise and hid behind Pidge who sighed in annoyance. Keith smirked, seeing her stealth skills are improving more. “Nothing. You ready?” Keith asked._

_“Yes. And this time, I am teaching you how to use a bow.” Kaela smirked as she shown him her bow._

_“There’s no way I am going to get that target.” Keith deadpanned._

_“Well, patience is virtue.” Kaela smiled. “Don’t worry. I get frustrated when didn’t get the shot, but I get better over time.”_

_“Okay, I’ll try. I’ll meet you in the training deck. I just need to deal with these guys.” Keith said._

_“Alright.” Kaela nodded as she walked off with a smile. Once she was out of hearing range. Keith turned to the others._

_“Okay, we can celebrate her birthday but all she wanted is a dance with her own brother which is me.” Keith said._

_“Ballroom birthday dance. That’ll do. Allura will pick out a perfect dress for her.” Lance said with a smile._

_“And I’ll work with the lighting in the ballroom.” Pidge said._

_“I’ll cook some more food while you guys are at it.” Hunk smiled._

(~)

_Keith was standing with a deadpanned look on his face while his sister was on the floor holding her stomach from laughing too much as she wiped a tear from her eye. She was laughing because Keith kept on missing his shots on the target in front of him in the training deck._

_Keith looked down at his sister who calmed down. “Okay, archery is your thing. My thing is blades and stuff.”_

_“I know. But it is important to know how to use other weapons when you don’t have your main weapons in a battle. Good to always having a backup.” Kaela said._

_“Did Thace taught you that?” Keith asked._

_“Yes, he did. He taught me archery.” Kaela replied as she walked to get the arrows out. “It is all about timing as well.”_

_Keith got an arrow and he got into a stance to get ready to shoot. “I’m ready.”_

_Kaela raised an eyebrow and then smirked as she moved away to let her brother take the shot. He released the arrow and successfully got a bullseye for the very first time. He smiled while Kaela cheered and hugged him tightly._

(~)

_After target practice, Kaela was walking around the Castle with a book in front of her face until she heard shouting from the other side of the hallway. She sighed thinking it is Keith and Lance arguing again. She walked to the other side of the hallway that leads to the ballroom and saw purple balloons everywhere and some decorations all over the place._

_She saw Allura and Pidge were freezing in place as she saw that the Young mage now knows the surprise birthday present for her they had made. Shiro was giving Kaela the most apologetical smile seeing that her brother is fighting with Lance._

_“Guys, Kaela is here.” Hunk smiled as Keith and Lance stopped fighting. They both looked at a surprised Mage Princess._

_“Ella, uh, this is uh… A surprise birthday present for you.” Keith said as he rubbed his neck nervously._

_“I…I have no words.” Kaela said as she put her book down on the table. “This is amazing. But you know I can wait until I can celebrate my birthday.”_

_“Well, Keith here wanted to give you a surprise.” Allura smiled as she slightly pushed Keith towards his sister. He was wearing his Paladin armour to make it more formal. He offered his hand to her as she reluctantly held his hand._

_“What is the surprise?” Kaela giggled._

_“A dance with your older brother.” Shiro said from his spot. Kaela’s eyes widened and then the music started as Keith held her hand and put his hand on her waist. They swayed with the music playing as the lights dimmed._

_She twirled around and danced gracefully with her dress flowing with a smile on her face. She got her wish to dance with her brother. Allura smiled at the sight of the siblings dancing and it warms her heart to see such a gentle side from Keith. He cares so much for his sister._

_Shiro offered his hand to Allura as she kindly accepted and joined the dance with Keith and Kaela. Allura giggled as she and Shiro danced by the siblings side until they switched partners. So, it was Shiro and Kaela dancing and Keith and Allura dancing._

_Keith and Allura blushed a little as they swayed to the music until Keith twirled her around, making her giggle. Allura had her hand on his shoulder and Keith’s hand was resting on her waist with a small yet gentle smile the young princess had ever seen._

_Kaela giggled at the sight of her brother and the Princess dancing. “Looks like my plan is working.”_

_“What are you planning now, kiddo?” Shiro asked with eyebrows raised in amusement._

_“Oh, you know, getting them together. All I wanted for my birthday is to see Keith being happy.” Kaela replied. “That is all I am asking.”_

(~)

Sam and Coran were checking the pod as they detected an ancient power surge coming from inside. “I never seen this much power. What do you think it’s inside?” Sam asked.

“Hmm, I am not sure. The best option is to open it and find out. But I would rather wait for the Paladins to finish their tour with the Mage Princes and Princesses. I am sure they’ll want to find out what’s the power surge is.” Coran suggested.

“Good idea.” Sam nodded in agreement.

In the bridge, Shiro was looking through the scanners until the lights started to flicker on and off. He raised an eyebrow, thinking it is another technical difficulties. He walked out of the bridge and then saw Gaius looking around. “I hope the crew are welcoming.” Shiro said.

“Yes, they are. It is nice to see more people around this sector after 10,000 deca-phoebs.” Gaius replied with a polite smile.

“And you are a general?” Shiro asked.

“I am just a loyal guard. Close friends to all of the Mage Princes and Princesses. Especially Suki.” Gaius replied as he smiled when he mentioned Suki. Which Shiro noticed there is pure love in his eyes, just like Kaela when she was beginning to realise her growing feelings for James Griffin.

“I hope that it is alright if I rest for the day in my quarters. I am sure you have duties to attend to.” Gaius said.

“Oh, sure. Go on ahead.” Shiro smiled as they parted ways. He walked in the hallways and saw Keith was walking around and seemingly looking for something. He had this expression mixed with confusion and frustration. “Keith, what’s wrong?”

“Did you hear that?” Keith asked.

“Hear what? I hear nothing at the moment, Keith.” Shiro said in confusion as Keith turned around as he heard a gentle voice ringing in his head again. He kept on hearing that voice since he had that nightmare or vision he seen.

“I think some rest will do you good.” Shiro said.

“Yeah, I just started having dreams about her. About Ella.” Keith said.

“Did you tell Allura?” Shiro asked worriedly.

“I did. She also thought some rest would help me, too. But this voice began to ring inside my head. I don’t know what is happening to me.” Keith sighed tiredly.

“Go. Get some rest.” Shiro urged him as Keith nodded quietly and he walked down the hallway to his shared quarters with Allura.

Once he went inside, he saw Allura was looking over something on the wall. She was reaching out to a certain weapon on the wall. She was cleaning Kaela’s weapons. She does it every time she got the chance. He smiled gratefully and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“I think it is clean enough.” Keith chuckled, seeing Kaela’s blades were shiny.

“Sorry, I lost track of time cleaning them.” Allura giggled as Keith kissed her on the neck gently. “I just wanted to clean them for her and for you. She said she would like it if her niece or nephew inherits her blades someday.”

“She didn’t say that to me.” Keith said.

“I know. But it was too late. She was going to tell you during our mission to defeat Honerva.” Allura said as she put the weapon back on the wall. Then Keith heard the voice again, it was as if it wants Keith to follow.

“Keith? Are you alright, darling?” Allura asked.

“Uh, yeah. I’m fine. I am just tired.” Keith replied.

“Hmm, maybe a nice long and warm bath or shower would do the trick.” Allura kissed his cheek as she giggled.

Later that night, Keith was sleeping peacefully with Allura sleeping next to him. He was resting in peace until the voice was ringing in his head again. He groaned as he looked around their room and then laid his head back on the pillow and looked at Allura who was still sleeping.

He can’t sleep while he could hear the voice all over again in his sleep. He sighed and decided to go down to the kitchen to get something to drink. He walked out of his room and walked to kitchen, until he heard the voice again. He groaned in annoyance. “What do you want?”

The minute he talked the voice was gone. He raised an eyebrow as he felt a familiar energy. He follows it past down the hangars and then walked inside the lab, seeing where the pod was. He sensed a powerful energy from the pod. It was tempting him to open the pod. He could hear voices in his head.

Then Sam came in the lab seeing Keith was standing there. “Keith, are you alright?”

Keith turned to Sam with a confused expression. “You didn’t hear that?”

“No. Hear what?” Sam asked as he shook his head.

“Sorry.” Keith apologised.

“No. No, Keith. It is alright. Katie has been having nightmares as well.” Sam said. “She said she’d wished to save Kaela a year ago. And she regrets it since then. Same goes for Lance. He would always do some training that Kaela had shown him to distract himself from his nightmares.”

Keith nodded in understanding as everyone else were still mourning over her death. He turned to the pod as the lights were flickering on and off.

(~)

Gaius was in his quarters as he held a communicator in his hands. He was reluctant to call Adelram. Adelram had ordered him to report everything and he was hesitating. He wanted to tell the Mages and Suki the entire truth about Adelram’s plans.

He also noticed that the lights were flickering. The plan of Adelram’s was working. His plan was working. It will chaos in the Atlas vessel. He turned to Suki who was talking to Misty. He didn’t want to hurt Suki and his other friends. He put the communicator away with the lights turned off.

“Is something wrong with the lights?” Misty asked as she stood up alarmed.

Sam checked over the systems in the lab and Coran came in and checked on what was going on. “Anything yet, Coran?” Keith asked.

“No, nothing yet. I think we should open it.” Coran replied.

“What? No. We don’t know what is inside.” Sam reasoned. Keith was about to say something until he heard the voice again and then felt a wave of energy coming from the pod. He slowly walked towards it with Sam and Coran’s voice fading out.

He reached out to the pod with the energy attracting him, but he stopped when he thought it tempts him to open it. He looked away and still saw Coran and Sam debating whether they should open it. “Well, shouldn’t Allura look inside it as well?” Sam asked as Coran froze.

“Right, she would get mad if I open it without her.” Coran nodded.

“We can wake up the others. And tell them the power is out.” Keith said. “It will be better if everyone sees this.”

Keith had got everyone in the meeting room while the doctors and troopers staying to guard the pod in the science room. Shiro looked over the security footage of the pod. “What do you think is in there?” Shiro asked. “Coran, didn’t you say it was a power surge?”

“Yes, Sam and I checked it was a massive power surge. It’s like…like….”

“Someone in there is alive.” Keith said. Allura put her hand on his as he explained what he had felt. “It’s like mana energy. I can feel some strong energy inside that pod.” 

“It could be a trap set up by those Dark Creatures.” Lance said frowning. Thinking it could be a trap to lure them to getting it. “I say we ditch the pod.”

“But we don’t even know what’s or who is inside it.” Pidge pointed out.

“I think it is best if we investigate further about this mysterious pod. Then we can decide later on what we can do to it.” Allura suggested.

“Then it is decided.” Shiro said.

“Shiro?” Lance pointed at the screen and saw all footage were gone. Something was definitely wrong as the lights were turning on and off. The Mages stood ready to fight along with the Paladins. “What the heck is going on?”

Then the screen lit up to see the guards were being attacked ruthlessly and were seriously injured. And they saw one guard was being drained with their quintessence has been extracted. The Mages gasped in horror as Suki was trembling to see that sight with Gaius putting his hands on her shoulders.

“Who could’ve done such a thing like this?” Colleen gasped.

“Paladins, Mages, split up and find whoever has done this.” Shiro ordered.

(~)

Keith and Allura got their bayards ready and were in the hallways of the Atlas and saw multiple guards were injured. Allura checked over them. “They are seriously injured, Keith.” Allura noticed that her fiancé was being quiet as he walked along the hallways.

“Keith, darling, are you alright?” Allura asked worriedly.

“I-I don’t know, Allura, these dreams or vision I kept on seeing. I think t-they are coming real.” Keith replied shakily as Allura caressed his cheeks.

“What did you see?” Allura asked softly.

“I saw…” Keith was about to reply until they heard screaming and shouting from the other side of the hallway in the Atlas. They both ran down the whole ways and reached to the closed doors with James catching up with his rifle in hand.

“We heard screaming.” James said as he saw blood on the floor.

“I think it’s Lance and Pidge.” Allura said.

“Lance! Lance, can you hear me?” Keith cried out as he pounded his fists on the doors.

On the other side of the doors, Lance was looking in shock as he saw a body dropped on the floor. He was holding Pidge protectively in his arms, seeing the most horrifying sight she had ever seen. He held his Altean broadsword in his hand, until he was stepped on his wrist and he screamed in pain. He looked into blood red eyes and looked on with fear and anger. “You were supposed to be dead.” Lance whispered.

His wrist was burnt, and he gritted his teeth, trying not to scream out in pain as he kept on looking those blood red eyes. He is seeing now a woman with red eyes and white silvery hair. She had red cracks all over her arms and face. He saw she was going to open the doors. He set Pidge aside and grabbed a metal bar and hit her with it. But it didn’t do any harm on her as she used her powers to trap him in a metal cage.

Lance grunted in effort to try and get out of the cage while he helplessly watched the woman opening the doors and saw Keith, Allura and James gasping in horror. Then Dark Creatures came to her side and waited for her orders as she stared at Keith, Allura and James who stood in the hallway.

“No.” Allura covered her mouth in horror.

Keith stood still as he saw the same red eyes, cracks and white hair from his vision. It was coming true after all. It is true. “Ella?”

A revived and corrupted Kaela was standing in the Atlas with Dark Creatures by her side. James held the rifle and was shaking while holding it. He didn’t want to hurt her. He swore no harm would come to her. Kaela put up her head as a wave of energy pushed the three of them with troopers came in shooting at them.

The Dark Creatures roared and went after the troopers and screamed in fear. The creatures started to bite on them while shooting at them. James shot at the creatures while Keith and Allura went after Kaela who was going to the other hallway that leads to the bridge.

Kaela walked to the hallways and saw Shiro was standing in front of the doors. “No, kiddo. Who have done this to you?” Shiro asked in disbelief as Kaela casted a spell to get his voice from him.

He gasped and fell to his knees with Kaela walking past with a Dark entity following her inside the bridge. Shiro crawled towards the bridge and tried to reach out to her as he was gasping. He watched as she went to grab the power source which was the Castle of Lion’s crystal.

Kaela got it in her hands safely as the creatures circled around her, shielding themselves from the light. She put it inside a container and looked over at Shiro who was still on the ground. She walked towards him and gave his voice back. He gasped raspy and Kaela heard swords slicing through the metal that blocked Keith’s way into the bridge.

She decided to deal with Keith as red energy blasts started to appear from the palm of her hand until Shiro grabbed her by her leg and she kicked him in the face. She grabbed him by the neck and lifted him effortless as she made him look into her eyes.

“K-Kaela, p-please don’t do this.” Shiro grunted as he tried to get Kaela to let go from her hold. Kaela didn’t listen as she hold on to his robotic arm and started to crush it in her hands slowly.

“Shiro!” Keith called out to him seeing his own sister hurting Shiro and destroying his arm. He tried to get through the metal bars that Kaela have placed with Allura and James tending to the injured troopers.

“ELLA! Don’t do this!” Keith shouted as Kaela stopped as she looked at her brother and tilted her head.

She threw Shiro into the bridge and got the hold of Keith in her hands. She growled at him as she felt a powerful surge of energy in him and threw him across the hallways. Shiro tried to sound the alarm but Kaela got the hold of his arm again and banged his head on the console repeatedly with Keith and Allura watching in horror as well as James.

Kaela grabbed his robotic arm and started to brutally crush it until it was destroyed, and the power went off as she grabbed the crystal inside it. She threw him on Keith and James. Allura was trembling in place seeing this darker self from Kaela and watched as the dark entity standing in front of her protectively.

James couldn’t believe his own eyes to see the woman he loves doing something so cruel to her friends and family. He looked into her red eyes and saw little tint of purple in her eyes. he saw she was looking at him as well until she raised both of her hands with red energy flowing out of her hands.

They all felt the Atlas was crumbling in the inside. Allura held onto Shiro tightly in her arms realizing Kaela was crushing the entire Atlas with her new found Dark Magic powers. “She’s destroying the ship.” James said.

“We need to warn the others.” Keith said as he got Shiro up with James helping and Allura went to warn the others.

“Atlas crew, we must evacuate the Atlas immediately.” Allura warned the crew and her friends. Lance and Pidge got Hunk out of the med bay and took him into Matt’s shuttle. Curtis got his husband on board with Iverson, Sam and Coran in a ship.

Keith and Allura were the last ones to get into the ship, until Keith stopped and ran back inside with his fiancée calling out to him. Suki and Gaius ran after him while the other Mages protected the crew and the Paladins.

Keith ran towards his sister’s old quarters and grabbed the little chest in his hands and some spell books until Kaela had found him. She shot her blasts at him, but a red barrier appeared around him. She growled and tried again until Suki saved him in time with her Moon powers with Gaius swinging his spear at her, but Kaela blocked every attack and pushed him towards Suki.

The three escaped from her in time with Kaela watching with an emotionless expression and continued to destroy the Atlas. The crew, Mages and Paladins were watching in terror as the Atlas was crumbling in all one piece. Suki flew outside of the Atlas in time with Keith and Gaius in a forcefield protecting them from open space and watched the Atlas exploding and destroyed.

(~)

Adelram was waiting on top of his mansion and was meditating quietly until he felt a familiar presence and he smiled wickedly. “Ahh, dear sister Kaela. You have done a wonderful job taking on the Paladins and crushing down their Atlas vessel. Do you have want I want?”

Kaela got the container out and show it to Adelram. His smile grew wider seeing the two precious crystals that the Paladins have in their procession in the Atlas. Now it is all his. “Good job, dear sister. Now onto Phase Three of our plan. Oh, this is exciting!” Adelram cackled evilly as a dark energy wave surrounded him.


	5. Corruption and Despair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The destruction of the Atlas was devastating to the Paladins as they all found out that someone has risen Kaela from the dead and was fully corrupted by the ancient Dark Magic. The Paladins all must decide on their next move and were on a hunt to find her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a new chapter! Hope you all like it. You all are more than welcome to comment and give feedback. 
> 
> Enjoying reading! Merry Christmas and have a great and wonderful New Year! Best wishes to everyone!

Coran had contacted Merla and Romelle to collect them with the new Castle of Lions. Everyone were still shocked and traumatized on how Kaela destroyed the Atlas, destroying Shiro’s arm and stole the power of the Atlas all together.

All of the crew were all aboard the Castle of Lions. James got Shiro in a cyro pod to heal up with Lance and Coran putting Hunk in one as well. He hasn’t woken up from the coma yet. James was still thinking of what had happened back in the Atlas. He could still see those deep red-blood eyes in his head. He could remember her cold stare and the emotionless pale face.

He wants to know what was going on and he heard Sam was talking to an injured Pidge and Lance. He got his wrist healed by Suki while Gaius was helping him on how to put the bandage around his wrist. “Uh, maybe a little more tighter.” Suki giggled.

“So, that is your sister? I thought she had black hair.” Ares said to Keith.

“And I thought you said she is dead.” Apollo thought with Keith rubbing his head tiredly.

“I know. Something is wrong with her. Someone must’ve revived her somehow.” Keith said as he walked in the room with Ares and Apollo following him.

Gaius tied the bandage around Lance’s wrist too tight and he whimpered in pain. He quickly loosen it as Suki stifled her laughter along with Pidge. The royal guard blushed and rubbed his neck nervously. “Sorry.” Gaius apologised to Lance as he held onto his painful wrist.

“Hmm, this is too deeply troubling. Because it is against the law to revive a mage. It tempts with Dark magic.” Misty said as she went to Ares’s side.

Gaius frowned as he heard the conversation and remembered to report to Adelram on what has happened. But he hesitate again, every single time. He had begun to think that this is all getting out of hand so fast. He doesn’t know what he’ll do if they all find out that he is involved in his plans.

“What does happen when a mage is revived?” Allura asked in curiosity.

All of the Mages stood uncomfortably as they looked at each other and the Paladins could see that it is hard for them to explain. “We all understand if it is too hard to explain.” Shiro said.

“No. No, no. It’s alright. I can go on.” Apollo said. “In the ancient times, one mage was drowned in sadness and guilt. He carried that guilt for many, many years. Depressed has become the best of him as he thought it to revive the ancient spirits from the dead as well as reviving his lost love. Once the loved ones were revived, it was not he had envisioned. The people who he revived became deranged and had only one sole purpose is to kill.”

“And that’s we all think that your sister might be doing.” Ash added as Suki nodded while Gaius looked away as he crossed his arms.

“So, the Kaela we all know, and love is now in her corrupted state? She is being mind-controlled?” Pidge asked.

“And she doesn’t even know what she’s doing?” Lance asked.

“Perhaps, she might not know or remember what she had done.” Suki answered his questions as she could remember how ruthless Kaela was in her corrupted form. She could tell by the Paladins that they were traumatized by what they had seen.

(~)

A corrupted Kaela was on a planet and Adelram was killing one of the hunter Mages with his spear. They were in the neighbouring planets of Zelza to get what the Dark Mage Prince wanted. He turned to Kaela and smiled when he saw her extracting a hunter’s aura.

“Now, now, sister. I think he has enough. Now, that we are. We can get all the strongest metal they’ve got.” Adelram smiled.

“Lord Adelram, Gaius still hasn’t responded yet.” Said one of the soldiers.

“Hmm, maybe he is just in a crowd. Might be suspicious or busy protecting Suki that is.” Adelram hummed as he twirled his spear in hand.

“But what if he doesn’t contact us?”

“Patience is virtue. I am sure he is just planning to make a move if he wishes to speak with me. Dear sister, please remain here while I am taking care of things.” Adelram said as he saw Kaela was only nodding and stood guard of the temple.

Adelram cackled evilly as he saw the crowded temple filled with men and women. They all looked at him in fear and held on to their children. He grinned wider as he lifted his hands up as dark purple aura appeared and he started to drain their mana energy as he drained their quintessence as well.

The children were screaming and crying in fear as the soldiers came and collected the children inside the temple and placed in a holding cell. Adelram smiled as he is seeing that his plan was working. Soon all the power gets will all his for the taking.

(~)

Lance was looking at Hunk’s cyro pod as his status was still healing. He sighed as he looked at his bandaged wrist as he thought back the fight with Kaela. Remembering how he hurt Pidge in front of him and a part of him snapped. He almost hurt his former second-in-command, partner and sister.

He heard a beeping and saw the cyropod was opening and he caught Hunk in his arms. As soon as he caught him. He whimpered and strained himself for carrying him and hurt his wrist again, for the second time. Pidge came in and saw an unconscious Hunk was on top of Lance.

“Hunk! Lance? What are you doing?” Pidge asked.

“Never mind that, Katie! Help me!” Lance exclaimed with Pidge giggling at his antics.

She called the others that Hunk is out of his pod and placed him in a resting bed room. He has shown to have no injuries at all. He is perfectly in a good shape now thanks to the cyropod’s healing process. After a few hours, Hunk finally had woken up.

“Ugh, why is my body so heavy?” Hunk asked groggily as he looked around the room. He saw new visitors and his friends. “Whoa, why is there people like Kaela here? And Lance, why is your wrist hurt? What the heck happened when I was out?!”

“Hunk, deep breaths.” Shiro said gently. “You missed quite a lot. Do you remember what has happened?”

Hunk frowned and looked down on his lap as he tried to refresh his memory. “Well, I only remember bits of it. But I-I saw red eyes. Yeah, red like blood. Yeah! A white-haired girl… looks... like Kaela.”

Everyone looked down as he mentioned Kaela. Hunk’s shoulders dropped and realised it was Kaela all this time that had hurt him before in the Castle. He could remember her reaching out to his head and was being drained. He gasped in horror with Pidge hugging him as well as Lance, to comfort the Yellow Paladin.

“I think it is time that we find her. Maybe she will lead us to whoever is controlling her.” Shiro said, seeing that this needs to be stopped and taken care of. “Coran, you think it’s possible to track her down?”

Coran’s shoulders fell. “I’m afraid not, Shiro. I can only detect her pure magic aura and now it is off the grid. There is no other way to find her with the Castle of Lions.”

“Is there another way, Coran?” Keith asked.

“Wait, what happened with the Atlas? Where is it?” Hunk asked from his spot as everyone looked at him.

“Kaela. She destroyed the Atlas and took the jewel from Shiro’s arm, which is now gone, and she got the power source that powers the Atlas.” Lance explained.

Hunk’s eyes widened and looked at Shiro who stood with only one arm. He looked at everyone, by the looks of it. They all looked traumatized. He also was wondering who were the new people in the Castle of Lions.

“I supposed introductions are in order. I am Mage Prince Apollo of the Fire Tribe. This is my brother, Ares.” Apollo said as he introduced himself and his brother to Hunk. Ares introduced Suki and Misty to Hunk with Gaius watching.

“Shiro, there is an important matter I should do. To inform Adelram of what has happened.” Gaius said.

“Of course.” Shiro nodded with Gaius walking out of the room and then went to the bridge to contact Adelram.

“Ahh, Gaius, what happened to your face?” Adelram asked as he pointed at his face.

“We’ve been attacked by your ‘dear sister’ and she had successfully destroyed the Atlas vessel.” Gaius reported as he was also feeling an emotion of guilt inside of him, seeing that Suki was in danger as well as his other friends.

“I see. Looks like the plan was working.” Adelram said as he twirled his spear. “Also, do please say my regards to Suki and the others. I have important matters to attend to.” The call ended shortly and then Suki came into the bridge.

“Gaius, you okay?” Suki asked.

“Yes, I was just contacting Adelram. Just checking on him.” Gaius replied as he hid the communicator, he was using earlier. “Oh, he says hi.”

“That’s...nice of him.” Suki said quietly.

Gaius noticed how quiet she was and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Hey, it’s okay. We will see who had done this and that person will pay for his or her treachery.” Suki smiled, glad to have Gaius to accompany her in this voyage with the paladins.

“Thank you for the support. And we shall help the Paladins in every way we can. Now, finding Kaela would be the challenge.” Suki said as she crossed her arms.

“Yes, I will be. I am sure that the Paladins are figuring this out.” Gaius said as the doors opened and saw Queen Allura.

“Oh, apologies. I didn’t mean to disturb you.” Allura sheepishly said.

“It is quite alright.” Gaius smiled politely as Suki nodded in agreement. “We were just talking.”

Allura nodded and then walked to the pillars as the screen lit up and then pictures of her and Kaela appeared. “Oh, my apologies.” Allura said sheepishly.

Suki and Gaius saw an image of Kaela with black raven hair and in black and white suit with the rest of the Paladins. She looked very happy and content with her life with them. Allura smiled sadly as she remembered all those good times, she had spent with her.

“So this is how Kaela looked like when she is not corrupted. She looks so beautiful.” Suki said as she smiled, seeing that she looked a bit like her sister. Except for the eyes and markings.

“Yes, she is truly beautiful. I just sometimes would look at the photos and look back in the good times we had shared.” Allura said with a sad smile. “Her older brother missed her the most out of all of us. We do want to keep her memories alive.”

“We will help you to bring her back.” Suki said to the Altean Queen.

(~)

Keith was sitting in the royal quarters, looking at Kaela’s blades. He still was shaken up by the events of what has happened. His vision came true, she became corrupted. Her purple eyes are replaced with red-blood eyes and her hair became white as snow. She also has red cracks that replaced all the runes that disappeared a year ago after her death.

He ran his hand through his hair and sighed deeply as he thought that she was peace until he found out that someone revived her. He wanted to find out who did this to his sister. He wanted her to come back to him. To them.

Inside the Castle of Lions, Coran was looking for a way to reverse the corruption spell using the records and the left-over notes that Kaela had left for them, in case if this happens. Well, it happened now. He is more determined to get her friend and family back.

He heard the doors opening and never bothered looking back. He was more focused on trying to find a way to revert Kaela back to normal once they found her. He raised his eyebrows in confusion hearing no footsteps and he finally turned around. he saw James at the doorway.

“Sorry, I am… I thought I don’t want to disturb you.” James said.

“It is alright, young man. I was just merely looking through your, well, best friend’s notes on corruption reversing spell but it is uncomplete.” Coran said.

“She left you notes before her death?” James asked, walking towards the older Altean.

“No, during her stay in the old Castle of Lions, she gives us old notes that may be useful. She always wanted to become a Master Mage. So, she then studied at her hardest and completed her first stage as a mage until she absorbed Dark Magic.” Coran explained.

“Like that battle in Earth? I saw a loud explosion in the air.” James said. “It thought it was Kaela.”

“Exactly, she told us few hours before her death. She at least absorbed dark magic two times.” Coran said. “She is now deemed as the Great Ikri. Meaning the Great Phoenix. Hence, she is the Phoenix Spirit.”

James nodded with a smile. “She talked about it during our little moments together in the Atlas.”

Coran raised an eyebrow and looked at his face. All he saw was a look of love and longing. He also saw he was wearing a golden locket. He smiled a bit. “I was corrected. You two were deeply in love with each other.”

James didn’t deny it and he knew too well he is, still, very much in love with Kaela. His best friend, his first love, his soulmate. “I do still love her.” James said sadly.

“Your love for her is still alive. It may still remain in her.” Coran said.

James looked at the notes and saw her messy handwriting all over. He chuckled a bit and then looked at the notes until he saw a drawing. It was a drawing of James himself. He was reading a book inside his fighter in his free time in the Atlas. He remembered that day so well and never noticed that she was drawing him.

(~)

_James walked past by Kaela’s repair desk and saw a drawing of himself. He never knew how much she was talented as an artist. He looked over at Kaela who was repairing an engine with Hunk and Pidge. Lance was telling them the instructions with the help of his girlfriend. James looked at the drawing with a smile._

_Kaela got up and then walked towards the desk and saw James had seen her drawing of him. “Uh, sorry, I should’ve…”_

_“No, it’s fine. It looks great.” James smiled at her. The paladins all smiled knowingly at each other. Seeing some more of their romance sparkling. Lance was happy to see that she was finding another to love._

_“Oh, g-glad that you like it.” Kaela said as she put a hair strand back on her ear. James smiled at her shyness and could see she was flustered. He put down the drawing and heard his friends were coming._

_“See you around, milady.” James smiled as he kissed her on the back of her hand._

(~)

“You may keep the drawing. It is yours after all. I saw there was a message on the back of the paper.” Coran smiled.

James turned the paper and saw the little message. _“For a thousand lifetimes, I’d promise to find you and I will never stop loving you.”_

“It sounded like you have found your soulmate.” Coran said.

“Yes, I have.” James said sadly.

“I felt this feeling when I first met Mage Princess Serene. Only to see that she already has feelings for the General. They were very much in love with each other.” Coran said as he turned off the computer. “As you were in love with Kaela. You loved her.”

“I still do.” James said as he looked at the drawing.

“Mmm, then don’t make her death be in vain.” Coran said as he patted him on the back before leaving the room with James looking at the drawing.

(~)

“I can’t believe Kaela did all of that.” Hunk said in disbelief.

“Well, someone did this to her. Showed no mercy.” Lance said as he crossed his arms and they were all in Hunk’s room. Lance and Pidge stayed with him for a while.

“Who would do such a thing to her?” Pidge asked sadly.

“I don’t know. But something tells me this is just like when Lotor tried to harvest the Alteans from the colony.” Hunk said. “Well except for the, you know, corruption part.”

“That is why the mages are here.” Allura said as she came in with Suki and Misty. “They can help in every way they can.”

“But how are we going to find Kaela? Since Coran said that she is off the grid.” Pidge said.

“Well, you said that your husband is the older brother of Kaela and has mage aura in him. Maybe he can try to track him.” Misty suggested to Allura.

“Oh, well, h-he might be of help in any way. I am sure he will be willingly to help.” Allura said, hoping she didn’t hear her stuttering when she said the word ‘husband’.

“Perfect. We’ll need every mage accounted for this spell.” Suki said as she and Misty left the Paladins to talk alone.

Allura turned to the Paladins and saw that they blinked once. Twice. Three times. “You guys are still not going to get married?” Lance asked in disbelief.

“Well, we had reached to a decision that we’d get married until the appearance of Kaela had happened.” Allura replied as she looked down at Kaela’s crown. Deeply, she wanted Kaela to see the wedding and to be there for them.

“But we must focus on the present. We must find Kaela and help her.” Allura said.

There was a knock on the door and Coran and Keith appeared. They both looked more deeply stoic and were worried at the same time. “Coran, Keith, darling what’s the matter?” Allura asked worriedly.

“The Coalition wishes to talk to you all.” Coran said.

“And it is about Kaela.” Keith added while holding Allura’s hand tightly.

Everyone in the room stayed quiet, they all looked at each other thinking that the worst had come. The whole Coalition now knows that Kaela was brought back to life in the most endangering way. They all feared that they all are thinking they might hunt her down and kill her.

They all walked into the bridge with Krolia running up to Keith and Allura. “Is this true? Kaela is…?” Krolia asked as her voice cracked.

“Yes, sadly it is true that Kaela is now revived.” Allura said as she shuddered from the memory of a revived Kaela. Krolia breathed out shakily with Allura hugging her in comfort with Keith looking away. He knew this will be hard for his mother as well. 

“I suppose we can have this meeting up to a start.” Kolivan said.

“Yes, I say we capture her and be done with it! You all almost got hurt and killed!” said one of the Coalition leaders.

“What? No, I will not go after my own daughter and kill her!” Krolia exclaimed. “She needs help! Our help!”

“Yeah, she is part of our family! We can’t do that to her.” Pidge exclaimed angrily.

“And we won’t rest until we find her.” Lance said.

“But aren’t you more concern what she’ll do to you all? She’ll most likely to kill you for an instant. She might not know who you all are.” One of the Coalition leaders reasoned.

“She was under someone’s control. Surely, all of you know Kaela would never hurt anyone she cares about. She is merely under someone’s control.” Allura said sternly at the leaders.

“But she had hurt Paladin Lance, Hunk and Pidge. You all have seen it, haven’t you?”

Lance looked down at the ground and remembered how it all happened so fast. He heard and seen a body falling down on the floor. He looked and saw a figure walking into the dark and cold hallway. That’s when he saw her.

Her red-blood eyes staring into his ocean blue eyes. He trembled when he first saw her. it was a terrifying sight he had seen. He saw that Pidge was going after her with her bayard until she threw her into his arms.

“She may hurt us. But that wasn’t her. I know that there is a way to help her. With magic or a spell. Anything!” Lance exclaimed desperately with Pidge putting a hand on his shoulder.

The tension in the room had increased with the Mages standing and watching with the Coalition looking at them. “You don’t suppose that the Mages haven’t appeared after 10,000 deca-phoebs and they know where to find her or to stop her from doing all the destruction? The disruption of the peace you all successfully made. I think she needs to be stopped. Kolivan, surely you do agree with us.”

Kolivan stood in between the paladins side and the Coalition. He looked over at Krolia who was holding on to Allura. He could see that all of the Paladins are determined to find Kaela and try and help her. To bring her back to them. He treated Kaela like a student to him. In other ways, he treated her like a daughter to her, even though he was not Thace or her real father.

He wanted to help the Paladins to find her and bring her back. He looked at the Coalition and could see doubt and fear from them. He could tell that they wanted to take her down. They all looked like they wouldn’t back out on a fight.

“I am not going to kill Mage Princess Kaela. She is like a daughter to me. I cannot afford to lose her too.” Kolivan said as Krolia sighed in relief as she put her hands together and put it over her chest where her heart is. Allura sighed a little, knowing that Kolivan is siding with them.

“Then you all will die.” All of the Coalition made their leave in the Castle of Lions, leaving the Paladins on their first search of Kaela in the map of the galaxy.

James saw how the Coalition were willingly to try and maybe kill her. He wouldn’t allow that to happen. It won’t happen. Never. They need to find her fast before something goes wrong. Before they could try and kill her. He hopes that they find her soon. He looked over at Keith who was clenching his fists in anger. He hasn’t spoken during the whole discussion.

Keith was shaking. He couldn’t believe that the Coalition were thinking of trying to hunt her down and maybe kill her. He doesn’t want that. He wants her alive and well. There has to be a way them to get her back to normal once they found her. Somewhere in the galaxy.

(~)

Adelram was sharpening his spear and watched as Kaela drained another mage and his body fell down on the ground. There was only four bodies on the ground were being drained and got their aura extracted.

One of the women crawled over to Adelram’s feet and tugged on his robes. “Please spare us. Please!” She held on to him tightly with Kaela watching with no words being spoken until the Dark Mage Prince bent down to her level.

“Oh? I will spare you all if you just surrender and give us access to the one of the ancient temples.” Adelram whispered in her ear as the woman shuddered in fear.

“I-We can’t do that. It has been our most sacred temple in our planet. I-It is meant to be protected from intruders.” She stammered as she trembled, hearing his cold and disheartened tone.

“I see.” Adelram said as he stood up and plunged his spear and killed her in front of Kaela from where she stood. She watched a woman got killed in cold-blood and could feel droplets of blood were on her arm. She wiped the blood off of her arm with Adelram coming towards her and wiped it off for her with a cloth.

“Sorry, dear sister. That was uncalled for, but I must do what needed to be done.” Adelram said as he smiled at her. “Come along now.”

Kaela was about to walk away from the bodies on the floor until she saw one of the children holding each other in the cell. She frowned until she heard voices in her head.

(~)

_Kaela held her sword in her hand as she smelt the scent of blood in her hands and stood with Acxa, Zethrid and Ezor as they watched Lotor falling to his knees with a sword in hand. As well as he had blood tainted all over his body._

_He looked around the field, seeing the sentries and the Galra soldiers were killing more innocents. He stood up as he saw one soldier coming towards him and he plunged his sword through his heart._

_Kaela heard screaming from the women and children who were being taken to the mines to work for them. Her expressionless eyes scanned the whole area with Zarkon walking towards them from his cruiser. “Well done, my children. You have done well.”_

_Then the leader of clan charged at Zarkon, both Lotor and Kaela towards their enemy and killed him in one strike with blood spilling all over them. Lotor was shaking as he dropped his weapon down to the ground with Kaela looked at the sky with the rain falling down on them._

_“Sire, with her memories altered. It will take some doing before she returned to her true self.” Haggar said._

_“Good. There are things that we must discuss upon her failures.” Zarkon said._

_“By torturing my younger sister? You call yourself a father to her? You DO even love your own children?” Lotor snarled as he clenched his bloody hands._

_“Neither of us deserved to be treated this way!” Lotor exclaimed angrily. He looked at his sister who was standing in the rain and then collapsed down on the ground. “You are controlling her like a puppet!”_

_Zarkon narrowed his eyes at his son who was going to tend with his sister who was seemingly lifeless. He put her in his arms and called out to her. Zarkon walked away from his children in the rain with Lotor calling out to her. “Kaela! Wake up!”_

_The generals watched helplessly watching Lotor trying to wake Kaela up. There was no response from her. She was in a coma. Acting as a puppet, work done by Haggar who walked away as well, following Zarkon into the cruiser._

(~)

Adelram put a hand on her shoulder. “Dear sister? Are you alright? Perhaps too much absorbing mana did a number on you. You must be exhausted. Come along. A nice brew stew would do the trick as my mother would always make.”

Kaela followed him into the ship with vats of mana energy flowing inside. She looked to the side and saw the children were aboard. She turned to Adelram as he was looking at the coordinates of the next location and planet they can land, while deciding on what they could eat. She sense a disturbing dark force in him. Kaela stood emotionless with her eyes watching every movement he makes.

(~)

Lance was still in the bridge, thinking of the whole Coalition’s decision to take her down. This is so wrong. They can’t do this to her! They fought side by side and now, they decided to break their trust with her and them?! He won’t allow them to do that. No one hurts his former partner.

He looked at the spirits that appeared in front of the Castle. He put up a map of the galaxy. He looked at it. He looked at the red dots in the map. _Wait, did Coran do this? Those are notes of Kaela’s...whereabouts. What?_

Coran was lying to them. He knew exactly where Kaela was! He gritted his teeth in anger and heard the doors opening and closing.

“Lance! I was going to… get… you…” Coran stopped in his tracks seeing the map in front of him.

“You lied! To us! You knew exactly where she is!” Lance exclaimed angrily at the older Altean.

Coran looked away from him. “Lance, I was going to tell you all. But she is far too dangerous. She might kill us all in this corrupted state.”

“You are just afraid of her powers.” Lance stated. “I’m going to tell the others about this. You lied to them as well!”

“Tell us what? We heard yelling.” Allura frowned with Keith by his side and walked in the bridge.

“Allura, your royal advisor here, knew where Kaela was! And this map proves it! He lied to you guys.” Lance said coldly with Allura gasping in shock, with a look of betrayal as well as Keith. She looked at the map and could see she is in further deep space.

“Is this true, Coran?” Keith asked in disbelief.

“Yes, it is seems like some of her pure magic aura still stayed in her. That way I could detect her in a far distance.” Coran replied. “But I cannot allow you all be in danger once again. She is far too powerful now.”

“Coran, she is our family. We must help her.” Allura said. “We all have failed to help her. And we cannot do fail her this time.”

“Allura’s right. That’s my sister out there. She needs us!” Keith exclaimed.

“Her soul is lost, Keith! Her soul is lost. This is not the Kaela we all know! She’s gone.” Coran said. Everyone in the bridge stood quiet while Keith looked at the map with Lance storming off past Coran.

“No! I won’t give up on her. She’s our friend. She’s your sister! You think the right thing to do is to kill her?” Lance asked.

“No. I don’t. But we have to find her before the Coalition does.” Keith said.

“But how? Our Lions aren’t with us anymore.” Lance pointed out.

“What if we can find Voltron again? Like how we found them back on Earth?” Keith suggested.

Allura was extremely mad, no, furious that her most trusted advisor decided to lie about Kaela’s whereabouts. “I cannot believe that you lied to us, Coran! Why? No, don’t tell me. It’s because she is dangerous! We have faced so many dangers in the past. Why can’t you trust us in finding her?”

“Allura, the effects of dark magic that she is wielding is extremely dangerous that’s why. You have seen what she had done with the Atlas. She crushed it all in one single spell! She’ll have our quintessence in an instant.” Coran reasoned with the new Queen.

Allura looked away from Coran and looked up at the map in front of them. She was hoping if Coran had found her, they all would go after her immediately. She would never give up on her. They all wouldn’t.

“Coran, I do understand your concern if she does really go after us, then we will fight. We will fight for a way to get her back.” Allura said firmly.

“And we will find a way to help her once we found her.” Keith said.

“You all will be in danger! You all will be killed!” Coran exclaimed.

“Coran, we are all going to find her and that’s final!” Lance snapped. He was desperate to find their Mage Healer and then take her back where she belongs.

“Then you all will go to your own deaths.” Coran said calmly. “Do you truly believe that she’s the same Kaela we all know? You have seen what she had done to you all? She almost killed Lance, Shiro and Pidge. She also got Hunk hurt. Out cold.”

Three of the Paladins all looked at each other knowing that Kaela had done all those things and that was not her. it was someone who wanted to those horrible things in order to tip the balance of peace and prosperity in the galaxy.

(~)

Adelram was helping his men to build the weapon as he made adjustments to the weapon as Kaela flew down next to him. “Ahh, dear sister how can I help you?”

Kaela didn’t say a word and gave him a communicator. Adelram took it without hesitation as the screen lit up seeing Gaius. “Well?”

“They are seemingly in a disagreement with each other now. Queen Allura, Paladin Keith and Lance are thinking of finding her after Coran had found out the whereabouts where Kaela is.” Gaius reported.

“Excellent. My plan is going smoothly.” Adelram cackled and looked back at Kaela who was looking at the weapon in front of her. “Gaius, we need to get the real siblings to have a proper reunion.”

“How are you going to do that?” Gaius asked as he looked back at the doors and saw no one was going in.

“By luring the other Paladins to find her location and one of the Paladins will have to take the bait.” Adelram replied as he twirled a knife in his hand.

“And when will that happen?” Gaius asked.

“I’ll tell you when the time comes. I have other important things to do now. Make sure that Suki does get some of my messages that I have sent to her communicator. It’s about the wedding.” Adelram said.

The two ended the call, leaving Gaius thinking of what Adelram’s next step and he ran his hands in his hair. He knew this will not end well and he know it. Suki and Mizuki will never forgive him for keeping it as a secret. Ever.

(~)

Adelram was with the servant doing some important matters as looking after his people from the attack and preparing for his wedding. “Everything must be perfect the way Mizuki wanted it to be.” Adelram smiled.

“Right away. But sire, the food? Traditional or none-traditional?” asked a servant.

“Hmm, both. Have Gaius’s mother take care of the desserts. And please pay her well.” Adelram replied and then walked over to his fiancée who was having trouble selecting the colours for the wedding.

“Which do you think suits us best?” Mizuki asked.

“Hmm, anything you choose will be most fitting, my love. Once Suki comes back. She’ll be a fiery moon blast and work on the wedding overnight.” Adelram chuckled.

“Oh, she will be.” Mizuki chuckled in amusement.

“Has Suki chosen her dress for the wedding? She must have chosen one.” Adelram said as he checked over the table settings.

“No, she hasn’t. You know her too well. She hates dresses.” Mizuki said walking up to him.

Adelram raised an eyebrow and looked his her. “What? But we made a deal which you don’t really even know.”

“What deal?” Mizuki asked with her arms crossed.

“The deal that I will give her every chocolate desserts if she wears one.” Adelram replied, looking away from her and whistled along as he walked away. Mizuki shook her head with a smile, knowing that her sister and fiancé are now getting along just fine.

Mizuki walked to the table and saw that Adelram left his papers. She grabbed it and was about to give it to him until something caught her eye. She saw a plan and drawing of some kind of weapon. She raised her eyebrow in confusion and then saw the map of some the villages that has been destroyed over the two past days in Zelza. She looked at Adelram who was talking to the other servants as he ordered to put where the vases should be placed.

She looked back at the papers and frowned, thinking that Adelram may be up to something. Maybe planning something that she doesn’t know about. Maybe Gaius knew about this and is keeping a secret from her and Suki as well. She might need to do her own investigation herself.


	6. One's Temptation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mizuki started her own investigation on her fiancée on what he has been up to, after seeing his prints of a weapon. Meanwhile, Lance, Pidge and Hunk attempt to find Kaela, only to find themselves stuck in a planet on their quest to find her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here you go! A new chapter in 2020! how exciting is that? 
> 
> I hope everyone had a very nice and calm Christmas and New Year! 
> 
> Enjoy reading this new chapter and as always please comment and give feedback!

Mizuki was in her bedroom looking at the papers and saw the design of the wedding dresses. There are too many to choose from. She has been in her room the whole day deciding while her mind was also thinking about the weaponry that Adelram was planning to build. Maybe he already built it.

She can’t tell if this is the new weapon or not. hHe has always been working on building weapons. He might be building for the defense systems or for…. something else. She groaned tiredly as she laid on her bed. She can’t think straight after seeing those papers. She wanted to ask Adelram, but he is too busy to choose his attire for the wedding.

But not to distract him from his planning and preparations for the wedding. Maybe she can do this investigation on her own. She got up and then heard the doors opening and saw a tired Adelram as he flopped on the bed. “The fitting of my outfit for the wedding has become more tiring for me to take.”

Mizuki giggled. “I will draw the bath for you. Maybe it will keep you at ease.” She went to their bathroom and turned on the faucet. Their bathroom has a tub, a shower with long curtains. Near the sink they are some aroma candles.

“Please do. Oh, maybe perhaps some champagne?” Adelram asked with a smile. “Maybe you can join in with me.”

“Adel, I promised Gaius’s mother that I give her the details of the wedding cake.” Mizuki smiled.

Adelram groaned and then smiled. “Of course. You may do that while I spend my time with your favourite champagne. Have you contacted Suki yet?”

“Yes, I have she was shaken up a bit. But I managed to calm her down. You think this Kaela can be brought back to normal?” Mizuki asked worriedly.

“Well, it can be possible. If there is way, they would have records of the lost spells to reverse the corruption spell.” Adelram replied as he watched her pour some champagne in a crystal glass.

“But the records all are gone. Years ago, your mother hid it somewhere so no one could ever tempt with dark magic remember?” Mizuki asked.

“Right. She did that.” Adelram slumped down and mentally cursed. “Well, at least Suki is aware that there are Lost Spells, but they are gone for good.”

“They’ll find a way.” Mizuki assured him. “Well, I better get going to see the cake designs and you take care with your bath.”

Adelram let her go and enjoy his bath with his fiancée going to see their wedding cake in the village. He grabbed his communicator and saw that there are no reply from Gaius. Not even one. _Is he having second thoughts on this? No, he must be busy with Suki. Maybe my plan is working after all. They’ll be together in no time._

Adelram drank his champagne with a smile. _This is going swimmingly! This should be fun._

(~)

Keith was in his room seeing Allura was pacing back and forth. Still mad at her royal advisor for not telling them that he had already found Kaela’s whereabouts and now, recently, he had lost her again. She was out of the grid.

This makes Allura more frustrated that they all won’t go after her while the Coalition are now after her and were planning to kill her for good. Kosmo whined in concern with Allura calming down and pet him on the head. “Sorry, little beastie, I can’t seem to stay calm. But I may fear that Kaela will be killed. Or she might be out there in that form killing innocents.” Allura sighed and rubbed her heavy and tired eyes.

She sat down next to Keith as he wrapped an arm around her. “It will be okay, Allura. We will find her.” Keith assured her.

“But what happens if we don’t? It will be already too late.” Allura pointed out. “Maybe perhaps it will be too late to save her.” Keith frowned and thought of Kaela’s corrupted form. Maybe she was right. Maybe it is too late to save her, but he told her that he wouldn’t give up on her.

Somewhere in the Castle, Lance was in the new training deck, blowing off steam from the heated conversation with Coran. He couldn’t believe that Coran had lied to them all. Now, all he wanted to do is to find her and bring Kaela back home. He was slicing through the holograms of the sentries. He swung his sword in anger.

He panted tiredly as he was hit on the head. He growled and fought back, used his rifle to shoot one of them. He put up a shield as they all attacked at once and then he threw his broadsword at the sentries as they all fell down on the smooth and cold floor.

Lance fell down to his knees and then pounded his fist on the floor in frustration. He heard the doors opening and saw Pidge. “Oh, Katie, sorry. I was just trying to blow off steam.” Lance said as he hid his hand away from his girlfriend.

“It’s okay. I understand where your frustrations are going from. I do want to find Kaela too, but we don’t have our Lions anymore.” Pidge said, looking at his bruised hands.

“I know. But we can’t give up on her yet. She might need our help. I know it.” Lance said, getting his bayard. “She had taught us to never lose hope and it is never too late to do the right thing.”

Pidge nodded and then hugged her boyfriend from behind with Lance looking down at his bruised hands. He held on to her small hand and sought for her warmth. He needed that in that moment after being lied to. He doesn’t want anyone lying to him ever again.

“How about… we run? We’d run and find her ourselves?” Lance asked.

Pidge looked up at her boyfriend with eyes widened. “What? You mean, you and me?”

“You, me and Hunk. Keith and Allura are still going to try and convince Shiro that they try and find her. But I will not wait. I will try and find her.” Lance said firmly.

(~)

Later that night, Lance packed everything he needed for his secret mission to finding Kaela. He ran down to the hangars and saw one ship was prepared for lift-off and saw Pidge in her new fitted Paladin armour. “Katie, you sure you want to do this?”

“I am sure, I am not gonna let my boyfriend to get all the fun.” Pidge grinned.

“Thanks, Katie.” Lance smiled gratefully and leaned in until the lights came back in in the hangars. They both turned to see a fully healed Hunk.

“I know, I know. I just healed up. But I am more fired up to find our sister.” Hunk said to his two best friends. “I will not let her suffer the way other people are suffering. Let’s go find her.”

In the bridge, Shiro was talking with Coran who was still looking at the map hologram. “Coran, I know you are worried that she might come after us. But all we can do is by helping her.” Shiro tried to reason with Coran but he wouldn’t give in.

“No, I will not lose any one of you. It is too risky.” Coran said. Shiro nodded in understanding, knowing that Coran will always look after the Paladins and him. He doesn’t want anything bad happens to Allura as he sees her as his own daughter.

Shiro wanted to save Kaela badly and save her from corruption even though she destroyed his arm and the Atlas, took the power source of the Atlas. He still sees her as his own little sister as well as a daughter.

A beeping sounded and both Coran and Shiro saw one pod was flying out of the hangar bays in an Altean pod.

(~)

“Now that we are out of the Castle, how are we going to find Kaela?” Lance asked.

“I hacked into the Castle of Lions’s system and managed to get the hologram map that Coran had put up in the bridge and downloaded into the pod.” Pidge said with a proud smile.

Both Lance and Hunk looked at her incredulously but with Lance was a love-struck incredulous look. He smiled proudly at his girlfriend. “That’s my girl.”

“So, which planet is it?” Hunk asked, looking at the map.

“I don’t know. It is added to the system’s records.” Pidge replied. “Think it’s dangerous?”

“Only one way to find out. But remember, it may be a hostile planet. So be on high alert.” Lance said to Pidge and Hunk who both smiled a little. He just sounded like Keith and mostly like Kaela. He really grown into a good and improved leader.

They both knew and remembered well that Kaela tasked Lance to lead the MFEs in a dangerous mission to retrieve something with her supervising and observe his leadership skills.

(~)

_Lance stood nervously with Kaela checking over the tablet in her office. “You sure, Kae? I mean me? I flunked as a leader back in the Garrison stimulator.” Lance said to her._

_“But that was years ago, Lance. I’m sure you’ll be fine. Honest. It takes time and patience to learn on how to lead.” Kaela said as she tried to calm her partner._

_“Uh, why can’t you do it?” Lance asked. “You are a natural leader. You led the Galra soldiers. The MFEs and probably me, Hunk and my girlfriend, Pidge.”_

_“Keith told me not to since I need a break from leading a squad.” Kaela replied as she put down the tablet on her desk. “Now, it’s your turn to lead.”_

_“This is so overwhelming.” Lance groaned as he buried his face in his hands with Kaela watching in concern._

_“Hey, Lance, everything will be okay. It’s just you, me, Pidge and the MFES.” Kaela assured him. “It will be okay.” Lance nodded reluctantly as he could give himself a chance to try and lead a new team of his own._

_In the hangars, Lance was with Pidge who was happily excited for Lance taking up a very serious role as a leader. She could see that he was worried, but she assured that there is nothing to be worried about. Keith had given him instructions on retrieving the items they all needed then get back to the Atlas._

_“You all good on that, Lance?” Keith asked as Lance nodded and didn’t say a word. Keith and Kaela both looked at each other then back at him. “Lance, it is natural to be worried.”_

_“Worried? I’m not worried.” Lance squeaked._

_“You just squeaked. You twitch your left eye when you lie.” Kaela stated with a smile._

_“Guys! Not helping! Of course, I’m worried! What if I have one person get hurt and my emotions will be all over the place? Or got Pidge hurt? Are you, Kae?” Lance rambled._

_Keith put a hand on his shoulder. “Lance, it will be alright. It won’t be that long if, maybe sometime after the war, you will have the Black Lion.”_

_Lance looked between the two siblings and could see that they were not kidding or joking around. They were dead serious and really wanted him to step up. He looked at the Lions and frowned. “You guys are not thinking of retiring from saving and helping the universe?”_

_“No, we aren’t. Well, I am. All that trauma. All that torment. I want that to end. I needed my own time to live my life after the war.” Kaela said as she out her hand on her arm where her runes were disappearing._

_“But I-I love piloting Red. I mean, piloting the Black Lion is such a great honour, Keith. But it is meant for you.” Lance said._

_“I know, Lance. But I think we do deserve to show whatever it takes to prove our self-worth in leading others.” Keith said with an encouraging smile. “You can do this.”_

(~)

_Lance led the team into a steamy planet. They had spotted more Galra that weren’t side with them still operating in one of the abandoned bases that Zarkon had put down. “Looks like only 8 guards down there.” James said as he gave back Kaela’s binoculars._

_“And there is a security lines once we get inside. There is a ray shield.” Pidge said._

_“So, what do we do then?” Nadia asked._

_“How good is your climbing?” Lance asked, turning to the MFEs. They all looked at each other in confusion as Kaela put out some ropes while she has her own. She packed herself with her own equipment as she was always trained to do so._

_They all put on harnesses and started climbing up the rocky wall to get over the gate that leads to the base. Lance, Pidge and Kaela were doing the climb effortlessly than the MFEs since they never climbed on anything before in their missions._

_Kaela stopped mid-way to look down and saw James was overseeing the place. “You okay?” Kaela asked._

_“Yeah, just checking the area.” James replied and turned to her. “You?”_

_Kaela smiled gently. “I got you here, don’t I?” James raised an eyebrow in confusion as he watched her climbing up. “Come on, Jim. Let’s get moving.” James just smiled and continued climbing the rock wall._

_Lance got to the top and helped his teammates up. He saw two guards down below. He turned to James and Ryan as they shot at the two guards with Kaela jumping off the ledge and swung her blades and sliced through the two sentries._

_Pidge managed to get themselves inside with the ray shield down for a couple of minutes as Kaela put some bombs, hidden in sight. “Okay, we need to uh, split in groups.” Lance spoke with hesitancy in his voice. “Pidge, you’re with me and Ryan.”_

_“James, you, Nadia and Ina get to the lower ground to collect the power source the Galra are collecting.” Lance said._

_“Wait, how about Kaela?” Nadia asked, turning to Kaela who got her weapons ready._

_“I’ll be taking care of the incoming Galra soldiers and sentries.” Kaela said. “Also, I will be assisting you all after my other tasks.” Kaela was about to take her leave, but James took her hand in his hand._

_“You be careful.” James said softly. Kaela smiled gratefully as she held his hand and kissed him on the cheek before leaving._

_Lance and his team made it to the control room with James’s team collecting the power source samples in the science room that has a room full of them. They all did their work quick as the power shut down in the room, thinking it was Pidge’s work. “Come on. Let’s get to work.” James said._

_“Good work, Katie.” Lance said as he held on to his bayard. “Anything, um, happening in this base?”_

_“Well, nothing. But interestingly I found out where Kaela is. She in this room that unknowingly has a room of mana energy.” Pidge replied. “Who would have a room full of mana energy?”_

_“I think it does have to do something with the Mages, or maybe someone else.” Ryan suggested._

(~)

_Kaela felt the energy and it was strong. Both pure and evil. She was almost tempted to take it, but it is not right as she saw her rune disappearing. She sighed and remembered what has happened back on Earth. She looked around the room and saw all of the energy of mana. It was tempting for her to take. She moved on until she heard the voices inside her head._

_They were tempting her to absorb more energy. To become more powerful. To be stronger than ever. She gritted her teeth in anger, not wanting to hear the voice of Li’la in her head again. She never wanted to absorb dark magic in the first place. But she was forced to. She was going to kill her and get her powers for good._

_Kaela decided to move on and went out of the room. She went into the other main control room and saw more sentries coming to her way. She readied herself as she got out her blades ready._

_She swung her blades at the sentries and sliced them in half with one body falling down on the ground. “Kaela?” Lance called out to her on the commlink._

_“Not now, Lance. Can you call back in a minute?” Kaela asked as she took cover from the shooting behind a pillar._

_“Uh, not really! Sentries are onto us!” Lance exclaimed as Kaela winced, fearing her hearing has been destroyed by Lance’s shouting._

_“Where are you now?” Kaela asked._

_“In another control room which is above you.” Lance replied as he and Ryan kept on shooting at the sentries. “You know what? I am not good at this whole leadership thing anyway.”_

_“Lance, sometimes you have to step up and do the right thing. Even in difficult situations. It is apart of growing up.” Kaela said as she threw a box at a sentry and a Galra soldier. She looked up at the ceiling and there was another platform. She flew up and went to the doors that leads to the other control room where the shooting was happening._

_She jumped on one of the Galra soldiers and threw him onto the sentry. She threw a knife on the other sentry that was about to go in the control room and saw an Altean broadsword slashing one of the sentry behind her. “There are more coming after James’s team.” Lance said._

_“Okay, they should be about to be finished in getting what we need.” Ryan said as he caught up to them with Pidge behind him._

_“Any idea on how we help them?” Kaela asked. Lance was thinking of how to get to them. They are far away from them. Far from their reach. He doesn’t want to split up the team or separate them and put them into danger._

_“Ryan, get the ship working and Pidge, hack into the system to shut down the power in the science room. Kaela, you and I will save your boyfriend and the others.” Lance ordered as everyone nodded except for Kaela who gave her a glare._

_“He’s not my boyfriend.” Kaela deadpanned as she ran with Lance’s side to save James, Nadia and Ina in the science room. The lights were shut down in the science room as James shot at all sentries in the room. They got one canister of energy._

_Lance and Kaela saved them in time with Kaela using her bow and arrow and shot at the control panel. “Hey! So how are we going to get out?” Lance asked until the group saw Kaela was using an explosive arrow and shot the arrow at the ceiling. She put up a barrier around them, saving them from the debris._

_Ryan got the cargo ship up and running with Pidge seeing Kaela flying up with a small bubble with Lance, James, Nadia and Ina inside. They were all safe with a source of energy. The Galra base was taken over by the Coalition._

_They were all in the Atlas safe and sound with Allura greeting the girls. Lance was looking at the energy source and saw that Kaela was being drawn to it. Like she was in a deep, deep trance. She was looking deeply into the source of the energy inside the canister. “Kae? You alright?”_

_Kaela snapped out of her deep trance. “Oh, uh, yes. I am. Just a bit exhausted. And great job in leading a team. That was a great development.”_

_“You think? I thought it was a no-go.” Lance thought as he rubbed his neck nervously. Then she was tackled by Pidge who had given him a big kiss on a cheek._

_“Great job, leader.” Pidge smiled at him lovingly._

_“Thanks, Katie. But I am just still learning.” Lance smiled sheepishly._

_“Well done, Lance.” Keith gave him an encouraging smile with all of the Paladins celebrating with Lance’s first time as a leader for a team with Kaela watching proudly._

(~)

Lance was flying the ship for a few hours and looked to the side seeing Pidge was already asleep with Hunk looking over the map on the hologram. He was a bit tired himself, but he was more determined to keep going.

“Uh, Lance. We have been out here for hours.” Hunk yawned. “We should land on a planet to rest up.” Lance looked back at his friend and knew he was exhausted from finding out where Kaela’s whereabouts were.

“Okay, which one is the nearest planet?” Lance asked.

“Planet Vilsa.” Hunk replied in a tired tone.

“Okay, we’ll land there for a short break.” Lance said as he turned the pod towards the planet to settle there for the time being.

(~)

“Interesting.” Adelram scratched his chin, looking at the hologram map. He walked around the panel and then saw Kaela was standing in the pond outside. Getting her feet wet. He raised an eyebrow and walked outside.

“Dear sister, I believe you will get cold feet if you stand there for too long.” Adelram said to Kaela as she stood very still in the water with her red dress being drenched. “Now, I have task for you to do.”

Kaela looked at him with sudden interest and saw Adelram smiling a bit. “It is more like a little errand for you to do for me.”

(~)

Lance landed the pod in the planet safely. It was foggy but looked like a safe place to stay put for a time being. He looked around the area to make sure the place was a enough for them. To see of there was no one residing in the planet.

He looked back to see Pidge yawning and took out her helmet off. Hunk was stretching his arms out and looked around the fog. “Man, looks like the fog is a bit dense here.” Hunk commented.

“Looks fine to me.” Pidge said. “Besides no one will find us out here. Hopefully we will find Kaela. This brings me back. Like the time we were looking for the Blue Lion?”

“Oh yeah, and this time we are going to find Kaela. And bring her home.” Hunk smiled confidently as he sat down on the ground. He looked at Lance who had his Altean broadsword out and looked around the area. Looking for a sign of danger.

“He is sure determined to find her.” Hunk said as Pidge nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, and I want to help. Help to find her and bring her back home to us.” Pidge said. “I know it is scary to go and find her in this state, but she taught us that we have to help others who good, even they are bad.”

Lance walked towards them and sat down with them. “Okay, it is all clear. The planet seemed safe. And any calls from the Castle?”

“Nope. We are safe for now.” Pidge replied as she sat closely to him.

“I think Coran will have our heads for this. But we are doing this for her.” Lance said as Pidge giggled.

“Yeah, he’ll definitely will.” Hunk deadpanned as he imagined Coran reprimanding their reckless behaviour and how they ran away to find their friend. Coran can be protective and eccentric at times, but he can be concerned about the Paladins.

“I will get some food inside the pod. Want anything boys?” Pidge asked.

“Just some of those sandwiches.” Hunk said.

“Same here.” Lance replied short. Pidge nodded and then went inside the pod as she got the shacks out for the boys. Also, she got some drinks for them. She heard creaking sounds in a distance. She looked at the boys and saw they were having a casual conversation. She looked in the fog and raised an eyebrow, seeing a shadow. She dropped the snacks down on the ground.

“GUYS! LOOK OUT!” Pidge shouted as she saw a boulder coming down on them. Lance and Hunk screamed and shouted out as they ran away from the boulder that was falling down on them and destroyed the Altean pod. Lance immediately went to Pidge’s side as the three of them ran into the forest to get away from the falling rocks.

“OH! WHAT THE HECK IS HAPPENING?!” Hunk exclaimed in fear. Lance looked up and saw more rocks coming down on them. They all ran as fast as they could from being crushed.

He took out his bayard as it manifested into his Altean broadsword and sliced through the rocks, saving his girlfriend and best friend. Hunk got his bayard out and shot at all of the boulders. Then the fog around them started to disappear as it turned into fire. It engulfed around them, luckily their suits protects them from intense heat or cold.

“What is happening now?!” Pidge asked.

“Uh, guys.” Hunk pointed up and they all looked up to see Kaela in a red suit and landed on the ground softly as she tilted her head at them.

Lance lowered his sword to show that he won’t fight or attack her. “Kae, please, let’s-let’s all calm down and let us help you.” He walked towards her slowly and with proceeded with caution while looking into her eyes. She calmed down a bit and saw that Hunk and Pidge still got their bayards in their hands.

“Guys, lower your weapons.” Lance said to the two.

“We just want to talk, Kaela. Please, talk to us.” Lance pleaded.

(~)

“WHAT?!” Coran shouted.

“Yeah, Lance, Pidge and Hunk aren’t here.” Keith said. He was still mad at Coran, but thought it was urgent to tell him and Shiro.

“Think they are gonna try and find her.” Coran said worriedly.

“We must find them before it’s too late. Before she finds them.” Allura said while glaring at her royal advisor. She was still furious at Coran for not telling them the truth of knowing Kaela’s whereabouts. Allura decided it was best if she takes the matter in her own hands even though it is too dangerous to go after her.

“Allura, we don’t know where they are.” Keith said to his fiancée.

“Well, our new pods were designed to have a tracker in them. And the pod they were in was in this planet.” Allura shown the boys the map of the planet. “But it appears that the pod was destroyed.”

“Probably kiddo got to the three of them.” Shiro said. “Let’s go to that planet and stop her.”

“But what will happen if she resist?” Coran asked, looking at Shiro and Keith who looked at each other.

“Then…we’ll have to put her under. Proceeding with caution.” Keith answered his question. It was too hard for him to resist saying those words, but they have no choice. Yet, they have to at least try and stop her.

“Allura, take us there.” Shiro said to the Queen. There were on their way to the planet where their friends were. They all hoped that they were alright. Far from harm. Not anywhere near Kaela. Hopefully.

(~)

Lance put down his bayard on the ground and put up his arms. Showing to her that she doesn’t have any other weapons with him. “Kaela. It’s me. Lame-shooter. Heh, you loved to call me that.” Lance chuckled. “Look, we are here to help you. Just cool down and let us get you help.”

Deadly fire was still surrounding them as Kaela let it cool down. She tilted her head and then looked at the fire around them as it turned into a fire chains and then trapped Lance and Hunk in a fire cage with the tree burning around them.

Pidge was left trembling and shaking in fear, seeing what Kaela had done to them. She looked at her as she started to walk away from the two boys. “DON’T YOU TOUCH HER, KAELA! She’s your friend! You’re our best friend!” Lance cried out to Kaela.

Kaela turned around and looked at Lance. She sauntered towards him and walked through the fire cage and got Hunk pinned on another tree. “Hey! Don’t you dare—” Hunk was muffled by a vine.

Lance growled and gritted his teeth. He watched her taking off his helmet and be exposed to extreme heat in the cage. Her hand was going straight to his right eyebrow where his scar was. She grinned and then she opened her clawed hand and slashed him across the eye, but Pidge’s grappling hook saved Lance in a nick of time.

Yet, Lance got a new scar on his eyebrow. Now the scar reaches down to his cheek. It was bleeding badly. He doesn’t care about the pain. All he cares about is his girlfriend, Hunk and his honorary sister. He gritted his teeth seeing that Pidge was fighting against Kaela.

Kaela was avoiding the grappling hook from Pidge. She was holding her ground very well and then Kaela flew up in the air as more rocks levitated behind her and all were being thrown at the Green Paladin. Pidge climbed on the tree and jumped as she punched her with her bayard.

Kaela gritted her teeth as her eyes glowed. Pidge ran towards her with her bayard swinging. Kaela grabbed her wrist and held it tightly. She was about to punch her but caught her other wrist and dropped her bayard down on the ground. Kaela looked straight in her eyes as she choked her. She started to drain her quintessence slowly with Pidge wincing in pain.

Lance coughed violently as he was exposed to extreme heat. He also watched as Kaela was draining her quintessence. He was desperate to save his girlfriend. Hunk was trying his best to get out of the chains. But his suit was being burned. Lance closed his eyes as he focused on getting his bayard in his hand.

Then suddenly his bayard appeared in his hand and then he cut himself free. He cut Hunk free from the tree and threw him Altean broadsword at Kaela as she let go of Pidge who coughed violently on the ground while feeling drained.

Lance got into a stance, ready to fight against Kaela. “Hunk, get Pidge to safety. I’ll handle her.” Lance ordered. Hunk nodded and got Pidge in his arms and ran away from the open field.

Kaela narrowed her eyes at Lance. “You really do think you can save me?” Kaela asked as she spoke in a cold and venomous voice for the very first time. It sent chills down to Lance’s spine. He didn’t want to hear those words from her, but he did. He gripped into his bayard tightly as he charged at her with a furious yell.

He swung his sword at her as she punched him on his face with his sword scratching her arm. She hissed angrily as she roared. She used her illusion magic and clashed blades with Lance’s sword. They looked at each other in the eye as they fought with Hunk and Pidge watching with fear.

She has this blank expression while they were clashing blades. It looked like she was being controlled now. Lance tried his best not to hurt her, but he did. He gritted his teeth, trying to find a way to help her.

Lance saw her charging at him and dropped his bayard down on the ground. He let her be in his arms and held her tightly in his embrace while she was trying to get out of his hold. “Ella, I know you are in there. Please, come back to us. Come back with us.” Lance pleaded as he stroked her soft raven.

“I know you are suffering from all this in the inside. I will never give up on you. Not now. Not while you are in this state. Please, Kaela, come back to us.” Lance pleaded one last time as he felt she was calming down. Only to get this chance to strike him as she plunged a knife in his lower abdomen. He screamed in pain while holding her hand with her blade dripping with his blood.

“NO!” Both Hunk and Pidge cried out to Lance, seeing that Kaela had hurt him brutally, and he was writhing in pain as he dropped to his knees.

He looked up at Kaela who was about to strike him but stopped. Much to his confusion, until he gasped softly. He saw tears flowing down her cheeks. They were real tears from Kaela from the inside. He heard her mumbling something under breath.

“What?” Lance grunted in pain.

“I… s-said…r-run!” Kaela screamed, her eyes nearly turned back to light purple as her unleased her powers as wind engulfed and Lance took cover behind the trees. As the wind calmed down, Lance looked behind him and still can see that Kaela was crying.

Lance was about to run to her until lights appeared and unknown space craft came shooting down on them with Hunk and Pidge appearing from their hiding spot in the forest and went to Lance’s aid. They saw how powerful Kaela is as a dark mage.

They all looked up in the air and saw the spacecraft had landed behind her. The trio gasped in shock as they saw Prince Adelram was aboard the aircraft and walked out of the ship, with the wind blowing and howling softly. He looked around with a satisfied smile with his silver eyes scanned the whole area. “Hmm, well done sister. Oh, look at that. Blood that belonged to your friend. He must be disposed of along with his love and friend.” Adelram cackled.

“Dear mighty, Paladins. I know this is a shock to you that I am here. But hear this, I will get everything I yearned for and I will get rid of all Galra and pure Mages in this universe! You hear me!” Adelram exclaimed.

He cleared his throat and smooth back his black hair back into place. “Come, sister. Let’s fix that mind of yours.” Adelram said as he pressed his two fingers to her forehead, casting a spell. She fell down on the ground like a puppet that lost its strings with her eyes still opened with tears flowing down.

Lance’s eyes widened as his eyes were undilated, gritted his teeth in anger and was ready to shout but Hunk covered his mouth. Preventing him from shouting while Pidge was crying and holding onto him. She tried not to look at Kaela’s current state but as she did. Her tears never stopped flowing. Her body is like a puppet stuck in a string.

Lance muffled screams were getting more strained as he slipped away from Hunk’s reach. “Lance, no!” Hunk cried out to him.

Lance charged in with his Altean broadsword and swung it at the Dark Mage Prince. Adelram clashed with his spear. He growled irritated. “Now, now, you don’t want your precious loved ones to see your demise.”

Lance yelled in anger as he managed to make a scratch on his arm. Adelram looked at his arm, with blood dripping and growled under his breath. He was shaking in anger and little bit of fear. He looked at Lance who was cradling Kaela in his arms. “Kae, come on, wake up!”

Hunk and Pidge caught up to them and saw Kaela was not responding in his arms. She looked pale. Pale as a puppet. She gasped in shock and held her hand, trying to get her response. Hunk was standing in place as he can’t get the words to get out of his mouth.

Adelram cackled and stood up straight. “You really all think that you can save her? She is lost. Her soul is lost forever and ever!”

Hunk got his bayard out and started to yell as he kept on shooting at Adelram who put a barrier in front of him. He got tears in his eyes as he started to think about his moments with Kaela and their times together in the Castle of Lions and in the Atlas. He wanted her to come back to them. it wasn’t her fault. It was him! it was Adelram who had done this.

(~)

_Hunk grumbled under his breath his breath and looked down on the ground. He was all bruised up from training. Kaela walked up to him. “Hunk, don’t worry. You’ll get it there.” Kaela smiled at him._

_“But I’m too goodhearted. I’m too soft.” Hunk said._

_“That is your greatest strength, Hunk. Don’t let anyone change that. You are the most strongest paladin I have ever seen. Besides Lance and Pidge. They have shown their worth and you did as well. You have proved that you can pass that goodness to everyone and let them see the good side of a true Paladin.” Kaela said as she sat in front of him._

_“Really?” Hunk asked._

_“Yeah, you are a good person. Don’t let anyone change that.” Kaela replied with a smile. “Now come on, I know what will cheer you up. How about I teach you how to cook that pastry that you always wanted to cook?” Hunk smiled and stood up to his feet and followed her into the kitchen as they gathered all the ingredients and started to make the pastry together._

(~)

Adelram saw that Hunk was weakening, thinking of Kaela and he had this chance to strike him down along with Pidge and Lance. First, he got Kaela back into his arms. “NO!” Pidge growled and used her grappling hook to try and get her back, but the Dark Mage got the hold of it and electrocuted her. Pidge screamed in pain with Lance watching. He let out a frustrated and angered yell as he used his rifle to shoot at Adelram’s arm and he yelled in pain. Yet, he still carried Kaela in his arms into the ship.

Lance leaped and tried to run, but he crawled towards Pidge and he held her in his arms with Hunk dropping his bayard to the ground as he looked around at the destruction of area. There was fire everywhere, rocks and debris. The trees were burning and they all got hurt. Mostly Lance.

Lance and Pidge both looked Adelram’s spacecraft and it flew away from their sight. They nearly got Kaela in their reach but failed. He dropped down to his knees, thinking he had failed Kaela. His friends.

Lance stood up watching the space craft. “NO! NO! NO!” Lance shouted furiously as he punched a rock in front of him and then hissed in pain as he held his fisted hand. He was so close to getting Kaela back. But he also saw that there was a glint of hope from Kaela. She didn’t kill him when she had the chance.

He slowly turned to Pidge who still was on the ground, holding herself and was shaking and trembling. He went to comfort her and held her protectively in his arms until they all heard the Castle of Lions coming down with lights all searching for them in the fire.

Inside the Castle of Lion’s bridge, Allura covered her mouth with her hands as she looked in shock. Seeing the damage down below on the screens. All of the trees set on fire and the rocks and debris were everywhere. Keith knew this was Kaela’s doing. He saw the damage she had done on their friends. He ran his hands in his hair in disbelief as well as Shiro. He was shocked to see what Kaela had done to Lance, Hunk and Pidge.

“This…This is the work of a Dark Mage.” Allura said, still shock from what she had seen. She closed her eyes as she tried to get the sight of the destruction out of her head but couldn’t. She doesn’t want to believe that Kaela had done this.

(~)

Adelram set an empty body of Kaela on a table. He restrained her on the table to make sure she doesn’t go anywhere. Then casted a spell on her forehead as white and purple essence flowed around her body. Her skin was no longer pale white, but her hair never changed its colour.

Once he finished chanting the spell, Kaela opened her eyes and he had seen a mixture of purple and red. “Hello, Mage Princess Kaela.” Adelram taunted as he turned the table to face him so she can talk to him directly.

Kaela growled and tried to hit him with her powers, but she was restrained. “Hmm, looks like you have proven a great use to my plans.”

“You have no idea what you doing. The Galra has changed, Adelram!” Kaela exclaimed, trying to get him to see the truth.

“The Galra took everything from me! My mother, father and my dear little sister! Many other people were killed that day when the war broke out!” Adelram shouted while Kaela stay composed and clenched her fists.

“I know you are Galra but you, dear sister, are a pure and dark Mage. I can use your mana to build a great weapon to extract all of mana energy from every Mage. Along with extracting quintessence from your precious Paladins.” Adelram smiled wickedly.

Kaela growled and breathed out fire from her mouth with Adelram moving out of the way while she burnt the wall and it fell down to the ground. He chuckled in amusement. “You are perfect for my master plan, dear sister. You shall bring destruction for me.”

Kaela growled ferociously at him as she tried to get out of her restraints but couldn’t. She watched as Adelram got out a phoenix totem and walked towards her with a wicked smile. Then whispered into her ear as Kaela gasped in horror and shock as she calmed down.

Much to Adelram satisfaction. He pressed his two fingers on her forehead and casted a spell as magical essence appeared around them. Kaela looked at him with tears flowing down her cheeks and closed her eyes seeing Adelram smiling wickedly. “Meet your end, dear sister.” He chanted a spell that will get her soul back into a totem. Her purple eyes turned back to red with her tears stopped with all emotions from her were wiped away with Adelram watching with a smile on his face.

(~)

Mizuki was in the dinning room in her white and blue dress with her hair in a braid, waiting for Adelram to come by for dinner. While sorting out invites for their guests in their wedding. She sighed softly looking at the clock. He was sure late for their dinner. This happened for the second time but this time he didn’t come.

She now thought this has be with the weapon prints she had found. Maybe he is just busy or tired from all of the wedding planning. She stood up from her chair and walked towards the doors. She marched down to her fiancée’s office. Then she saw he wasn’t there. She took this chance to look around. As she never has been able to search around his work or other important things he has kept.

She walked towards the table and saw normal papers around on the desk with two or three broken writing quail feathers as well. She looked into his drawers and saw loaded papers inside. She picked one up and there were wedding invites. “So, he forgotten, huh?” Mizuki said sadly.

Not until she was disappointed. She gasped in shock seeing blood stained papers. She took them out carefully and then looked at it. Looks like someone’s else blood. She looked at the door and saw it wasn’t opened. She took her chance to do illusion magic and see what has really happened in his office.

She chanted the illusion spell and then she saw Prince Alvah and Adelram in front of her. Prince Alvah looked terrified while Adelram was glaring at him with his knife at his throat. Mizuki gasped In horror as she dropped the blood-stained paper on the floor seeing the dark creatures appearing.

She also seen Kaela in her corrupted form up close and seen her red glowing cracks on her face and arms. Also her long white silver hair that stops at her waist. She pinned Prince Alvah down on the desk with Adelram smiling wickedly as he swung his knife at his throat with blood spilling over on the papers.

She gasped in shock seeing this whole side of Adelram. He was never like this. Not a bloody killer and assassination. She covered her mouth watching Kaela draining him and extracting his mana energy and quintessence. He was screaming in pain with Kaela looking into his eyes. Staring in his soul while Adelram was chanting a Dark Magic spell and transferred his body in a canister.

As the illusion magic worn off, Mizuki got out of her shock and put the stained paper in this desk and walked out of his office. She couldn’t believe on what she had seen. It was an unbelievable sight for her too see. He was the one who was responsible of the attack in their castle and the mages being drained out of their mana.

She walked down the hallway and walked slowly with her eyes will widened in shock. Her own fiancée did all of this. All of this destruction and pain to their own people. She doesn’t what she’ll do after this. Should she call this off? She does still love him with of her heart. But how will she cope with knowing all of this? Will she postpone the wedding?

All of her thoughts were giving her a headache and was feeling dizzy and fell down to the ground. With eyes opening and closing, she saw Adelram running to her in concern with nurses coming to their aid as the voices faded and went into deep unconsciousness.


	7. Faded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Kaela’s battle with Lance, Adelram had decided to wipe all emotions and memories from her so she can be under his control. Meanwhile, the Paladins were all shaken up from their battle against Kaela, seeing she had grown powerful as a dark mage, and told who was controlling her: Mage Prince Adelram!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is another chapter! 
> 
> Hope you all enjoy it! Please comment and give feedback. 
> 
> Enjoy reading!

_“What? Garrison? What’s that?” Kaela asked her older brother._

_“It’s a school for young cadets to go and learn how to pilot ships and become explorers in space.” Keith replied. “I attended there. Shiro was a teacher there. Lance and Hunk attended there and then Pidge came along and disguised as a boy to find her brother, Matt.”_

_Kaela nodded in understanding. “I think I remember meeting Shiro but after my memories were altered. I can’t even remember anything after that.”_

_“Well, once this is all over, we can show you the Garrison and maybe where we lived.” Keith smiled as they walked along the hallways in the Blade of Marmora base. Kaela was just visiting Keith for a few hours before going back to the Castle of Lions._

_She looked over at Keith who was wearing his blade uniform. it does suit him better than his Paladin armour. She sometimes would picture herself wearing a blade uniform, but dark purple doesn’t seem to suit her as she imagined it._

_“So, you told Shiro that you would be visiting?” Keith asked._

_“Yeah, thought I could come by and see you before we go on in our next step in the mission. You don’t want your baby sister to visit you?” Kaela asked, raising her eyebrow at him._

_“No, no, no. I mean, I love that you are visiting me. But you don’t have to.” Keith replied._

_Kaela gave him a suspicious look until a grin grew bigger on her face with Keith groaning in annoyance knowing what she was thinking. She giggled and then wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “You were expecting a visit from Allura, I see. Hehe.”_

_Keith blushed a little and walked away while dragging Kaela along in the halls and then Kolivan appeared. “Keith. Princess Kaela. Didn’t know you were visiting.”_

_“I was just checking on my brother, but I’ll be leaving soon before you two go on a mission.” Kaela said with a smile._

_“I see. Your brother and I also discussed if whether or not, you would like to join us, the Blade of Marmora.” Kolivan said as Kaela’s eyes widened and looked at her brother who smiled at her._

_“If you want to. We won’t force you.” Keith said as he put a hand on her shoulder._

_“We can give you a few quintants to think about it. No need to rush things over.” Kolivan said as he excused himself from the siblings._

_Kaela looked over at her brother and said. “You talked about it? When?”_

_“Well, a few days after Naxzela. But you don’t have to if you don’t want to.” Keith replied._

_“I know. But it kinda felt like I am stealing the spotlight. I hear from the other blades that you were a great blade agent. You are doing well from what I have heard.” Kaela said._

_“Well, I was just getting started.” Keith said._

_“And you are doing great. Allura thinks so too. As well as Shiro.” Kaela smiled. “Also everyone else but missed you.”_

_“I know. How are they doing?” Keith asked._

_“They’re doing fine. Still a bit uneasy on what you did back there. And I am adjusting to the fact that my runes are visible.” Kaela replied._

_“I did apologised. And your arms are covered which is good. No one can make you a target that easy.” Keith said._

_“And uh, Allura would like for you to come and visit us for a change.” Kaela said. “She…She misses you the most. She felt abandoned.”_

_“She does?” Keith asked in surprise._

_“Did you see her messages?” Kaela asked, watching Keith grabbing his communicator and saw tons on messages from the Altean princess. He sweat nervously and showed it to his sister who looked on in shock. “That’s…. a lot of messages. She sure does really miss you. That’s like five calls a quintant and 35 messages!”_

_“I might need to reply one day.” Keith said. “And how’s the prisoner?”_

_Kaela froze and looked away with a scowl. She never wanted to see Lotor’s face ever again. Their relationship may be strained but she cares for him as well. They are adoptive siblings. But she has mixed feelings about this whole thing with him being their ally without the Coalition knowing._

_“I don’t want to talk about him.” Kaela replied._

_“But you guys are siblings as well. I respect that he protects you as well. He is your brother also.” Keith said. “You should at least make him feel welcome when things are cooled down.”_

_“No. I don’t want to, and I never will.” Kaela said with her arms crossed and then she got a message._

_The screen lit up and saw Lance. “Hey, Kaela, we need you here at the Castle now. New mission.”_

_“Okay, I’ll see you there.” Kaela replied as the call ended. She looked at her brother who nodded in understanding, knowing she is needed elsewhere, and he has a new covert mission as well. The two siblings hugged each other tightly._

_“I love you.” Keith whispered as he kissed her on the head._

_“I love you more.” Kaela replied with a soft smile. Keith walked Kaela to the hangars and watched as she put on her helmet and then she gave him one last smile before flying out of the hangar bays with a wormhole appearing. She went through safely with Keith seeing her aura energy flowing out in open space._

(~)

_Lance walked along the hallways in the Castle of Lions and looked to the side in the training deck. He saw Kaela putting on a blindfold with Pidge helping her out. “Okay, 1…2….3, go!”_

_Then all kinds of obstacle came falling down on Kaela as she used her other senses and moved out of the way and jumped off of them. Lance looked on in awe and watched the whole fight sequence as Kaela faced off the sentries._

_“Wow, she is good.” Lance complimented with a smile._

_“Yeah, she also trained me too. Did you ask her if she could train you?” Pidge asked with a smile as she pressed another button and more holograms were charging at her._

_“Uh, well, no. That didn’t come up. You think I should?” Lance asked Pidge who taken her glasses off and noticed that her hair was straightened and was pulled into a ponytail. He blushed at the sight of Pidge not wearing her glasses and her hair like that. He never seen Pidge like this before._

_“Well, I bet you will improve in no time. She’s a good teacher.” Pidge smiled with her eyes sparkling._

_“I’ll keep that in mind.” Lance said with a blush and then the training stimulation stopped with Kaela taking out her blindfold._

_“Oh, Lance, came here to train?” Kaela asked._

_“Uh, no. I just came by and uh, to check out what you girls were doing.” Lance replied. Kaela raised her eyebrow seeing his face was flushed. “You think you can train me in um, sword fighting? I know this is your thing with your brother. And now we are partners and all, I was wondering if you can teach me some of your moves?”_

_Kaela smiled. “Of course, I will teach you. Which one do you want me to teach you? Altean or Galran style?”_

_“Hmm, both please.” Lance smiled as Kaela nodded, eager to teach him._

(~)

_Kaela was in a dress for a diplomatic meeting. She can hardly breath and then walked all the way to Allura’s room. She knocked on the door. “Allura, are you ready?” Kaela asked._

_“Yes, come in.” Allura said as Kaela opened the doors and she smiled._

_“Yup, you are nervous.” Kaela grinned._

_“How did you know?” Allura asked as she stood up from her bed as she brushed her hair with the mice helping._

_“You are the shawl that I made for you. It keeps you nice and warm, doesn’t it?” Kaela asked with a smile, looking at her new shawl she had made her. Allura had seen her sewing skills and requested nicely if she could have one. And Kaela gladly made one for her._

_“It does ease all the nervousness. It reminds me of my mother’s warmth.” Allura said with a smile._

_“I never knew my mother. But Keith suspects that I have her sassy remarks from her. And also the eyes and markings.” Kaela chuckled._

_“Oh? Does Keith remember her?” Allura asked._

_“Hmm, he didn’t say. But he far was too young to remember.” Kaela replied. “I remember bits of my father. He reminds me of Keith.”_

_“My father was a brave warrior. He was a brother figure to Serene and to Zarkon. The three of them had formed an unlikely friendship then Trigel, Blaytz and Gyrgan came along.” Allura said._

_“Coran told me that Zarkon and your father were both trying to win Serene’s heart until they found someone else.” Kaela said with a chuckle._

_“Oh, yes, and then Coran had fallen in love with Serene. But she is with another. Mages can imprint, but only imprint of the ones who are their soulmate.” Allura said as she folded the shawl and put it aside on her bed._

_“I read that part in one of the books. If the imprint is incomplete, that means there is someone else in your life that might be your soulmate.” Kaela said._

_“How does it feel? Imprinting, I mean? Mages do feel a thing?” Allura asked in curiosity._

_Kaela hummed and thought long and hard about imprinting. She did loved Koryak and she didn’t know she had imprinting as a Mage yet. That was a year before she met the Paladins and her brother. “To be honest, that was a year ago before I even knew I was a mage.” Kaela said._

_“Oh you’re right.” Allura giggled. “Maybe perhaps someone on Earth, you might find your soulmate.”_

_“I don’t think I am ready to pursue on having a relationship just yet.” Kaela said with a small smile. “But I will eventually.”_

(~)

_As Kaela and the Paladins had reached to Earth. She looked at the rubble and the debris around her. And those compartments with wheels? She looked over it with curiosity until Shiro came to her side. “It’s called a car. You drive in it.” Kaela, in her helmet, nodded and then looked inside, seeing five seats. Enough to fit in five people and one for driving._

_Then everything went quick as more drones and sentries came shooting at them. She jumped up on the debris and the jumped on the roof to shoot at the sentries and help as backup for her friends. She saw two cars coming towards them and two cadets came out._

_She jumped on the ground and pinned one on of the cars and then gasped softly seeing him getting his helmet off and putting his rifle down. She somehow remembered where those dark indigo eyes came from. Everything around her froze in time as her eyes looked straight into his eyes._

_Then Shiro calmed her down as they are with the Garrison. She took off her helmet and saw him gasping in surprise with a sign of relief. She looked on in confusion on what she had seen. She could see his memories. They all prepared to go back to the Garrison._

_She stood frozen in place with Allura looking at her with confusion and then realised what she had done. “Did you…?”_

_“No. Let’s say that I didn’t.” Kaela stated as she gripped on her helmet tightly. “I don’t want to get my hopes up, Lu. Not like when I was with Koryak.”_

(~)

_Kaela was outside of the Garrison on the rooftop, seeing the stars sparkling throughout the night as she thought of what she had done when she first saw James. She saw his memories. She saw everything. She could see her smiling at him and being friends with him. She also saw the fire incident. The day she disappeared. Then the flashes went straight to the future. Them walking along the beach with the sun setting._

_She looked behind her and saw James standing there. “You okay?”_

_She walked towards him with her shawl around her and smiled at him. “Yeah, just looking at the stars. How are you doing?” Kaela asked._

_“I am better that thing is not here. But there is more of them, right?” James asked._

_Kaela looked at the sky and then remembered that light shining in the open space. She frowned thinking there could be more of them. She looked at James who was looking at the stars then at her. She blushed and looked away. “I-I’m sure we will defeat whoever sent that Robeast.” Kaela said as she held on her shawl tightly, feeling her heart beating fast._

_“It’s good to have you back.” James smiled softly._

_“It is good to be back.” Kaela smiled at the young cadet with a shooting star appearing in the night sky._

(~)

_Days after Clear Day, Kaela was looking at some notes of corruption spells and the dark runes in her books. She took notes in her own office, getting some space from the Paladins and her brother. Kosmo was laying down on the floor snoring lightly with the mice on top on him._

_She frowned when she saw pictures of a mage being affected by dark magic and was under a dark corruption spell. Those are the effects of having dark magic in them. Serene was the first to have that power according to Coran. He had given her all the knowledge he knew when meeting Serene 10,000 years ago._

_She now has she power. She is really Serene’s reincarnation. She hoped that she wouldn’t be corrupted but those visions she had. It is sure to become real and the proof is when she has her runes disappearing. That’s the punishment for it._

_She yelped in surprise almost dropping the book and got startled when she heard knocking. “Uh, who is it?”_

_“It’s me. James.” Kaela’s eyes widened as Kosmo perked up._

_“Shh, you didn’t see or heard anything, here, boy.” Kaela hissed as she walked towards the doors and opened it, seeing him standing in front of the entrance to her office. He saw all of the books and papers all over the table._

_“You got busy.” James chuckled with a light blush on his face. Also, still thinking about their accidental kiss._

_“Y-Yeah, I just wanted to get some notes down, so I can give it to Coran.” Kaela said as she rubbed her hands together as the two were in a long awkward silence. Neither of them couldn’t speak. The mice squeaked and Kosmo tilted his head in confusion._

_James looked over at the Mage Princess and saw she was wearing the hair pin. He smiled in relief to see that she was still wearing it. “I see that you are still wearing it.”_

_“Yeah, and I uh turned your flower into stone and placed it on the hair pin. Hope you don’t mind.” Kaela said._

_“You look beautiful with it.” James said as he felt his cheeks burning up and Kaela smiled fondly._

_“Thank you. And also for the dance.” Kaela smiled. James smiled shyly and then walked slowly towards her with his hands on her arms, leaning in as he closed his eyes. Kaela looked at his lips and closed her eyes and felt his warm lips again._

_James felt his heart was racing as he felt her warm lips against his and he wanted to remember his moment. He caressed her cheeks and she put her hands on his chest and then they broke apart hearing Shiro’s voice in the PA._

_The two separate from each other with James looking her flushed face. “Uh, sorry. Um, I just uh, felt like it. Sorry, I didn’t warn you.”_

_“O-Oh, it’s fine. Uh, well, it’s quite alright.” Kaela blushed as she looked away from James. “I just still haven’t figured out my feelings. I’m all over the place. I mean, with Honerva and all.”_

_James nodded in understanding. “It’s okay. Me too. I will wait for your answer. I will not push you further.”_

_Kaela smiled gratefully at him and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you.”_

(~)

Kaela was still in her restraints as tears rolled down her emotionless face. Deep inside of her is suffering for what she had done to her friends and family. She nearly got them killed and she was nearly strong enough to get out of Adelram’s spell just for a moment to warn Lance to get out of the way, getting away from harm. But with Adelram gaining more power, his spell’s power grows stronger and her soul will be trapped in the Phoenix totem he was keeping with him at all times. All of her memories, the good and the bad, are slowly fading away. Fading away, like she is an empty person with no emotion or memories.

All of her memories with the Paladins are gone. All those feelings she had felt were wiped. Her memories with her brother had faded in her mind. Her emotions for James were no longer there. Her tears stopped as her eyes now turning back to red and her last tears dropped on a single blue flower down below.

(~)

Somewhere in the Castle, Adelram was pacing back and forth while getting a call from Suki. The communicator was beeping. He looked from side to side while Mrs Bellweather was hitting him with her purse. “Tell her, you scaredy virepanther!”

“I know, I know. I just don’t know what or how she’ll react!” Adelram exclaimed panicking. He doesn’t want Suki to be mad at him for not looking after Mizuki. If she found out that he has been preoccupied, she would have his head. Forever.

He answered the call and then saw Suki’s face on the screen. He gulped knowing that Gaius had told her since he told her earlier. “ADELRAM! HOW COULD YOU LEAVE MY SISTER ALONE?! CLEARLY, SHE WAS WAITING FOR YOU FOR DINNER!” Suki screamed with Adelram wincing, knowing that this conversation wasn’t going to be that easy.

“I am sorry, Suki. I did promise that I take care of her.” Adelram said with a nervous smile. he cleared his throat. “It won’t happen ever again. I promise.”

“Good, I am just relieved that you are there with her now. And as soon as Gaius told me I nearly broke his wrist.” Suki said.

“I assure you your sister is fine.” Adelram assured Suki as they ended the call. The Prince looked inside Mizuki’s room and saw her was looking out of the window, seeing children playing outside in the flower beds.

Adelram announced that he was going to take some matters in his hands. He left the room for Mizuki to rest up. She then pulled the covers away and revealed she was wearing her Moon Mage armour.

She opened one window and looked around the area, to see if she was safe. She jumped out of the window and flew up in the air. She flew down to a big hidden door that leads to a vault. Knowing that the Paladins might need some assistance from her. If they were to save their friend, they need the ancient scrolls and spell books to revert the spell.

(~)

Lance looked at his new battle scars in the mirror. It felt weird but at the same time, he somehow felt it was right. He doesn’t know why but it does feel right to him. He looked over at Hunk and Pidge who were still shaken up from what they had seen.

Then the doors opened and closed, seeing Keith at the entrance. “Hey, you guys going to be okay?”

“We’ll live.” Hunk replied.

Keith nodded and then noticed Pidge still hasn’t moved from her spot and she looked at him with eyes widened. She got up from her spot and hugged Keith. He was taken back the hug but still hugged her tightly to comfort her. He also saw that Lance was lingering his fingers over his new scar on his eyebrow.

 _Kaela really did all of this to them. We really need to help her. Now._ Allura came in as she gasped seeing Lance’s new scar and Hunk was clearly shaken up. She looked over at the Green Paladin who was in tears and was shaking. The two girls hugged each other in comfort.

“We saw it.” Lance spoke up.

“Saw what?” Allura asked, feeling a bit scared after hearing a very cold and distant tone from the Red Paladin. She could tell that he is more angrier. Something definitely did happened out there.

“Prince Adelram was the one who is controlling Kaela! He was using her as a puppet!” Lance exclaimed. “And we were so close to getting her back.”

“Wait, Prince Adelram is behind all of this? I-I… that cannot be.” Allura said in disbelief.

“It’s true. He was really controlling her! We’ve seen it. Right, Hunk?” Pidge asked.

“Yeah, yeah, he was mind controlling her when she was fighting. Fighting with all those new magic powers and stuff!” Hunk exclaimed.

Allura stood there motionless as she was having a hard time in believing that Adelram was behind all of it. Reviving Kaela and brought her back to life only to become corrupted with Dark Magic. Keith was also having a hard time to believe it. He clenched his fists and growled under his breath, now determined to save his sister.

“But she is still there! She is still alive in the inside.” Lance said. “I’ve seen it. There is still hope to save her.”

(~)

“Mizuki, here, some tea for you darling.” Mrs Bellweather said, giving her some calming tea.

“Thank you.” Mizuki smiled at Gaius’s mother and sipped on the tea in her hands while Adelram came in the room.

“Mizuki, glad to see that you are alright.” Adelram said with a smile.

Mizuki froze slightly seeing her fiancé in front of her with a smile. She was still shaken up from what she had seen in his office. The dark creatures and a revived mage. All of that still haunts her in her dreams. She still can’t believe that the man she loves is a killer and is a Dark Mage.

“Yes, I am alright, my love. Just felt a bit dizzy.” Mizuki smiled, while masking her shocked expression.

“Excellent. Perhaps we should take a break from planning the wedding and get you to rest up.” Adelram suggested as he held her hand.

“That would be lovely, Adel. But I can go on.” Mizuki smiled gently at him.

“You certain? You must rest up.” Adelram said in concern. Mizuki nodded and gave him a reassuring smile and kissed his hand, showing him that she is strong enough to keep going. She also wanted to do more investigating on the revived Mage Princess Kaela.

“Alright, but if you do feel exhausted. Please, do not hesitate to tell me.” Adelram said, kissing her hand with Mizuki smiling at him.

But in the inside, she was feeling mixed emotions of Adelram’s true intentions. She must tell her sister and the others. She must warn them that Adelram, of all people, is the killer of their own people. _Wait, is Gaius apart of this? He can’t be, right?_

(~)

Coran felt like the whole universe was crumbling once again after hearing the most shocking news that the son of Mage Princess Serene, Mage Prince Adelram is the Dark Mage. The one who was responsible for reviving Kaela back to life as a corrupted Dark Mage.

“T-T-That cannot be. But how?” Coran whispered.

“We don’t know, Coran. But we must know more.” Allura said as she narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists. “We need to know more and then we find a way to save Kaela.”

The Mages stood motionless to hear that their childhood best friend is a Dark Mage now and had drained all the mage’s mana energy to become more powerful and had revived Kaela. This was too impossible for them to believe but it was true. Suki was most shocked as she knew Adelram longer than the other Mage Princes and Princesses.

Gaius stood behind Suki, frowning and he clenched his fists knowing that things will get out of hand. Now that he had past the phase and moving on with a much bigger plan now. He wished that things weren’t as complicated as it is now.

“How could Adel do this?” Suki asked as Ash and Misty looked down on the floor.

“So, we are heading back to Planet Zelza, then?” Shiro asked.

“No, no. If you were to find a way to help Kaela. You must travel to the ancient planets to gather all of the secret spells to bring her back.” Coran said.

“But those planets are forbidden for us to go.” Gaius said to the elder Altean.

“We are still going. We are doing this for our sister.” Lance said with his arms crossed and stared into his eyes.

“These planets are dense than ever. Probably after 10,000 years, it is more deadly dangerous as it is now.” Coran frowned.

“But the sacred books are dangerous to get from those dense planets. No one has ever been there.” Ares pointed out.

“And there is one in Zelza. In one of the vaults that I was supposed to be guarding.” Gaius rubbed his neck nervously.

“Right. Then we all must find those sacred books. Lance, Hunk, Pidge. You all will be staying in Altea.” Allura said turning to the trio as they all had their mouths gaped.

“WHAT?! Are you serious?! No. We won’t!” Lance shouted until he grunted in pain near his torso with Pidge coming to his side seeing his injury was getting worse.

“Lance, you need to rest up after your battle with my sister. Allura, the Mages and I will get those books.” Keith said, trying to calm his friend down.

Lance swatted his arm away and walked off with the others watching. They all knew that Lance was not giving up on Kaela. Keith knew that too. He secretly wants to find Kaela somewhere in the universe.

“Me and the Mages will go back to our planet while you go and drop off your friends to Altea.” Misty said as she walked out of the bridge into the hallway, leaving the two Paladins to talk with Shiro and Coran.

“Me and Gaius will accompany you to Altea.” Suki said to the Paladins.

“I’ll contact Ash.” Misty smiled.

“Ash? No way. She’ll think that the books doesn’t exist, Mist. Mist, hey! Are you listening?” Ares called out to his friend.

“Why not? Her father owns the books in the scared temples.” Misty replied. “And maybe you should call her.” She gave the communicator and shoved it into his chest.

“Yes, brother. You have this massive crush on her when you were kids. Oh, don’t tell me you imprinted on her.” Apollo teased as Ares was shaking and has the urge to break the communicator.

“Fine! I will! I am a smooth talker to girls.” Ares said.

“Sure.” Apollo said dryly as he crossed his arms, sounding so not convinced by his brother’s childhood crush on Ash. They both watched Ares contacting their other childhood friend, Ash. There was multiple beeps coming from the communicator. Ares was running his red hair as his blue eyes looked back and forth to his elder brother and Misty who smiled innocently.

Ares was about to turn off the communicator seeing that she wasn’t going to answer it until there was a reply and the screen lit up seeing Ash with her ginger hair up in a ponytail. “Oh, Ares. Hello. How can I help you?” Ash asked politely.

Ares gulped and then cleared his throat. “Well, I need to know if your father still has the sacred spell books? You know, the one that Mage Princess hidden?”

Ash hummed as she carried the communicator with her as she flew inside the huge library and through the tall branches, falling leaves and petals along with the glowing vines. She landed on her barefoot and walked inside her father’s office, seeing multiple papers on the table. He was working so hard on the reports.

“Um, father? A word?” Ash asked.

“Not now, sweetheart. I need to do these reports.” Said Ash’s father. Ash slumped down and then looked at his shelves and started to look for the sacred texts. She got an idea dan went down the vault that her father has in his room.

She flew down to the ground and opened her communicator. “Okay, I’m in the vault.” Ash said to Ares whose eyes widened.

“What? You mean the vault we went into hiding when we were kids?” Ares asked as Misty and Apollo listened carefully and attentively, hearing the conversation between the two childhood friends.

“Yes, so what?” Ash asked.

“So? So? You are gonna get caught in there?!” Ares shouted, he was extremely worried about his childhood friend and then she ended the call with his growling in annoyance and ran down to the hangers getting ready to go back to Zelza with a wormhole ready for them.

Meanwhile on Zelza, Ash was looking the old ancient books of all Zelza and then heard some guards talking further in the vault. She put up her hand up and sunlight appeared and then lead her way down the stairs. She froze and hid behind the wall, seeing that there were dark entities in sight. She covered her mouth to keep her from screaming or shouting.

Then she heard another voice that resembled Adelram. “Where is it?! The sacred books should be here!”

“Sorry, sir. It must be in another temple.” Said one of the guards.

Ash flew up the stairs to the exit of the vault as fast as she could and closed the doors. She couldn’t believe that she had seen the Dark Entities with Adelram! But he was a good man, wasn’t he? She must warn someone! But others won’t believe her. Maybe Ares knew about this and tried to warn her before it’s too late.

Then she saw Mizuki behind her with a few books in her arms. “Mizuki, what? Adelram is down there!” Ash hissed.

“Then we have to hide.” Mizuki whispered to her as she casted an invisibility spell, so the entities won’t see them in sight. Ash was helping Mizuki to carry the books while she got out some sleeping dust until a hand appeared and Adelram pulled her out from the spell, seeing his own fiancé and childhood friend got the sacred books and scrolls.

“I see you have found them, my love.” Adelram cackled wickedly.

Mizuki gasped softly as she trembled, finally seeing his truest self in front of her. “Adel, what is the meaning of this?”

“Well, I wasn’t supposed to tell anybody about this, but too late, my love. Now be a good girl, Ash, and give me the books.” Adelram turned to the youngest mage.

“No. I won’t.” Ash growled as the Dark Entities appeared behind her with her father injured. “Dad!”

“Now, now, if you want to be spared, then give me…. THE BOOKS NOW!” Adelram shouted as Mizuki slapped him on the face.

“Adel, stop this madness.” Mizuki pleaded. Adelram growled in annoyance as he raised his hands up as dark energy flowed. Ash put the books down as she clapped her hands together as sunlight appeared with the creatures screeching in pain as well as Adelram.

Mizuki and Ash made a run for it from the Dark Entities and Adelram. They flew away from them with the books with them. Then Ash was shot by an arrow on her arm and fell down on the ground with Mizuki coming to her aid, placing Ash’s father down on the ground.

She came to Ash’s aid and saw her arm was bleeding. She pulled it out with Ash screaming in pain. Ash’s father woke up and saw his daughter hurt. “Ashley. What has happened?” He heard growling and dark entities had surrounded them and drained the other mages inside the library.

They all looked in horror with more mages were drained out of their mana and saw Adelram killing all of the Moon guards in the library that made Mizuki’s blood boiling inside of her. She let out an angered battle yell and charged at her fiancée and swung her moon blades at him. Adelram avoided every attack from her.

Ash saw the entities were going after the books and she waved her arms around as dust appeared around her and her father saving them from dark creatures. Her father saw another creature running towards Ash and he jumped in and saved his daughter.

Ash turned around and saw her father falling down in the pit. She cried out to her father, watching him falling to his demise as she let out her energy bursting out of her, killing all of the entities. She mourned over the loss of her father and fell down to her knees. Mizuki watched the death of her dear friend’s father’s death and looked at Adelram who walked towards her and then grabbed his staff and hit her with the end of his staff on her head with a smile

(~)

Adelram went back to the Castle with him trying to put his hair in perfect shape and saw Misty and Apollo in the throne room. “Ahh, my good friends, why here so quick?” Adelram asked innocently.

“We came here for the sacred books. Something that we could use to help Mage Princess Kaela.” Misty replied.

“I see. I have been to the vault. It wasn’t there.” Adelram said as he walked past Misty.

Apollo crossed his arms, “But it has always been down there for so many years. How could the book not be there?”

“I do not know, Apollo.” Adelram replied with a hint of coldness detected in his voice as Misty and Apollo could notice. He was on the edge. He was urging himself not to attack them in the throne room.

“Where is Mizuki?” Misty asked as Adelram stopped in his tracks.

He looked at the two and then realised that they knew the truth. He looked at them with his spear appearing in his hand with Apollo and Mizuki were ready to fight against him. Their ground until Adelram charged at them, while swinging his spear at the two mages. He roared and used his wind powers to push Apollo away as he was pinned on the wall.

Adelram choked him and then started draining some of his powers until Misty came with her fists covered with rocks and punched him repeatedly on the face. She grunted in pain with Adelram nearly been stabbed by him.

“Misty!” Apollo cried out to her as he released his fire powers.

Suddenly a tornado of fire appeared and Adelram looked above him and saw Ares coming down at him with a fire fist punch as the floor of the throne in the castle crumbled. The fire died down and Adelram coughed violently and stood up looking at the other mages in front of him.

“You all will be facing difficulties and challenges along the way. Right now, you’ll be rejected by your own kind.” Adelram cackled softly as he flew out of the throne room from the window.

Apollo, Misty and Ares went to see where he was going and saw numerous arrows came shooting towards the castle. They all looked at them with her mouths dropping in shock. Then Ares blocked the arrows path and then the three all flew out of the Castle.

Adelram saw them flying away from the Castle. “Sir?”

“Hold your fire! I think this will be enough.” Adelram smiled.

Apollo held Misty closely with Ares behind them. They all flew out of the Castle until Ares saw a sunlight and assumed it was Ash who was trying to get his attention. “Guys, I found Ash.” Ares called out to them.

“Get her to safety. I’ll contact the Paladins.” Apollo said.

Ares dived into the Castle’s dungeon and fought off the guards with their swords and swung their swords and sliced their armour and stabbed them. He got the keys and freed Ash from her cell, the two best friends hugged each other.

“You okay?” Ares asked in concern.

“Yeah, and I got the books that you have requested.” Ash replied.

“Where’s Mizuki?” Ares asked, seeing she was the only one in the cell down below the Castle. he also heard the doors were being forced down. There was no time for explanations. They got the books with them and saw a wormhole appearing in front of them with the dark clouds surrounding them. The dark creatures were onto them as Ash used her sun light powers to blind them.

Both Mages made it through the wormhole with Adelram screaming and shouting in frustration. He even hit one of his soldiers in the face. He panted in frustration and his hands were shaking, knowing they have the scrolls and the books.

“Sire?”

“WHAT?!” Adelram shouted and his red eyes glowed brightly and stared deadly at his soldiers.

“Uh, it appears that they h-have the books.”

“I know, you idiots. Now…. SINCE WE DON’T HAVE THE BOOKS TO BURN NOW THAT THEY’LL FIND ANOTHER WAY TO REVERT THE SPELL!” Adelram shouted in pure anger as he threw his knife and ultimately killed one of his soldiers.

Adelram cleared his throat and calmed down until he had in idea. He smiled and cackled evilly as he flew towards the doors of his workshop far away from the Castle.

(~)

On the other side of the wormhole, Apollo and Misty saw Ash and Ares coming inside the Castle of Lions that landed on planet Altea. The MFEs came to their aid and saw Misty was injured during a fight. The Paladins ran into the hangars and saw Misty was stabbed.

“Quickly, to the cyropod!” Allura exclaimed. Apollo and Ares helped Misty to get into a cyro pod down below with Ash watching while holding onto the books.

“What happened out there?” Coran asked.

“We got ourselves into a fight with Adelram. He got Mizuki held someone on Zelza. We only found our other friend, Ash, the Sun Mage Princess.” Ares answered his question as he walked towards her. He checked over her and checked if she had injuries and doesn’t have any. But she looked broken inside and outside.

“Guys, we got an incoming transmission.” Hunk said to the group. They all went into the bridge with Keith opening a transmission and saw Adelram had broadcasted a message to everyone in the universe.

“To all Mages, please listen very, very carefully. I had been recently attacked by three Elemental Mages who are the next heirs of the throne. They had attacked me and excused me responsible for the destruction of our home and for the lives of my people.” Adelram said. “If you have spotted them, kill them on sight.”

The Mages gasped softly after hearing that Adelram deemed them as fugitives and killers. The Paladins all clenched their fists in anger seeing that he was making things more worse, having the mages being drained out of their mana, revived their precious Mage healer, made Kaela hurt her loved ones and then now framed their new allies.

(~)

In a dark endless void, Kaela stood in a puddle of blood with her tears rolling down her cheeks. She tried shouting to anybody but her voice being taken. She looked around the endless void until she heard someone coming towards her and saw Adelram.

“Hello, dear sister.” Adelram greeted with a sly smile.

Kaela glared at him and looked away from him. Cannot forgive him for what he had done to innocent people and her friends and family. She saw how she had hurt Lance, Hunk and Pidge. She was hoping deep inside she will not hurt the rest of her friends and family.

A hand held on to her shoulder and Kaela looked from behind her and saw Adelram had a dagger in his hand and stabbed her in the back. She grunted in pain as the rest of her pure mana energy were being absorbed.

(~)

Adelram opened his eyes as he felt a spark of electricity nearly zapped him and scoffed, seeing that his mother’s soul was protecting Kaela’s body and her mana energy. Kaela’s body was laying down on a bad as she was in a catatonic state.

“My son, why are you doing this?”

Adelram gasped softly and twirled around to seeing his own mother’s soul behind him. He was plagued in his nightmares of that day when his mother, father and sister all perished. Killed by a murderer who was the Emperor of the Galra Empire.

“M-Mother, you c-can’t be here! You are just in my head!” Adelram shouted as he threw a bowl at his mother but went through her as it was being thrown on the wall.

“My son, you are better than this. Stop this madness.” Serene pleaded as she walked towards him with her hands cupping his face and rubbed her thumbs against them.

“No. No, I won’t stop. They must suffer the same pain I had felt years ago, Mother.” Adelram said as his voice trembled.

“Please, Adel. Please, don’t do this.” Serene pleaded one last time.

“I need to do what needs to be done, Mother.” Adelram said, watching his mother’s soul disappearing in front of him. Adelram gasped raggedly as saw his mother was disappearing in front of him once again.

He fell down to his knees and tears were rolling down his cheeks as he heard voices from the past Mages in his head. He banged his head on the floor repeatedly. “No. No. No. No. No. No. NO. NO. NO. NO!” Adelram screamed as the guards came in his room and saw him banging his head on the floor and tried to help him but he doesn’t need anyone’s help as he shouted words that no one doesn’t understand.


	8. Broken Connections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allura and Pidge went out on a mission and found themselves with Kaela as she reluctantly helped them to escape from pirates and archers. Meanwhile, Adelram made a successful attempt to break the connection between Kaela and Keith.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is a new chapter! Sorry if it took too long! I was extremely busy. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this new chapter! Please as always, comment adn give feedback. 
> 
> Enjoy!

_Adelram was in the field looking at the young mages being trained by his mother, Mage Princess Serene. She was patient with her students, she teaches them about the flow of energy in the forest. In the water. Feeling all kinds of energy in all elements. She also teaches her two children about the responsibilities of an elemental mage._

_Adelram also wanted to become a warrior just like his father. He wanted to become stronger just for his family and people. He heard his little sister was running up to him and then tripped over a log and cried. Adelram smiled and then walked towards her and helped her up._

_“Be careful next time, Dandelion.” Adelram chuckled._

_“I was being careful!” Dandelion exclaimed as she stood up on her feet._

_Then their father appeared, jumping from a winged creature called an Ikri. They were the most bravest, majestic yet dangerous animals in all of Zelza. Their father was the general of all Zelzan guards. “So, what are you up to, kids?”_

_“Just passing by in the village. Wondering if I could see my friends.” Adelram replied._

_“I want to see Mom!” Dandelion smiled. Their father took the youngling onto his shoulders while Adelram looked around the field and saw his friends were under the tree where they usually hang out after training._

_His father allowed him to be with his friends with a smile, he watched his son flying towards the tree and greeted his friends warmly as Gaius, Apollo and Ares all jumped on him. Misty, Suki, Mizuki and Ash all laughed with amusement._

_“Come on! Now?!” Adelram shouted as he was ambushed by his best friends._

_“Yeah, come on. Lighten up! Tonight’s the special night of the Festival of Lights!” Ares exclaimed in excitement as he and his twin brother Apollo wrestled under the tree._

_“I see. You guys are going to be there. While I am doing my duties.” Adelram said as he slumped down, knowing he’ll be busy tonight._

_“That’s okay. Ash is not looking forward at all.” Misty grinned._

_“H-Hey, my dad is participating in one of the competitions. I don’t want to watch.” Ash said as she remembered what her father did in the last Festival of Lights last year._

_Suki giggled. “Our father did the same thing, right, Zuki?”_

_“Oh, yes. He did. But only lasted two bottles.” Mizuki giggled with her sister. “Anyways, what are you going to bake this year, Gaius?”_

_“Oh yes. Is your mother going to make that famous cakes and cupcakes?” Adelram asked as the twins stopped wrestling at the mention of food. They loved Gaius’s mother’s baking and other types of food._

_“Well, we thought we could go with some pastries as well. She is making those plumberry pies this year.” Gaius replied as he laid down the ground with the sun shining brightly._

(~)

_Then in the afternoon, the Festival of Lights have started and Mage Princess Serene was with the other Elemental Mages waving at their subjects. Serene looked to the side and saw her husband was having a stern look on his face._

_“Oh, come on, honey. Smile for your people and for the sake of our kids.” Serene chuckled in amusement._

_Her husband shook his head with a smirk and then let the royal guard fan out to guard every area of the village. He may fear that Zarkon might be attacking any minute. He also was watching over his wife who was walking on the waterlilies. She was waving and smiling at her people and then saw her son with Apollo, Ares and Gaius._

_“Now, now, what is going on here?” Serene asked._

_“Sorry, Mother, we just wanted to um, get a better view.” Adelram replied while holding his young sister who was sitting on his shoulders._

_“I see. Well, I’ll be busy with the other leaders soon. You all go have fun. Adelram, Dandelion, come, walk with me.” Serene said to her children._

_Adelram and Dandelion hopped on the lily pads as they walked beside their mother. “Some time in a few years, I won’t be here. You and your friends will be next heirs to the throne. Then your sister will take after you, Adel.”_

_“I am not sure if I am waiting for that kind of responsibility.” Adelram said as he watched his sister playing with the water._

_“I know. In time, you will know that you will be ready, my son. Now, go have fun with your friends. And take your sister with you.” Serene smiled as she said her goodbyes to her children and wanted her husband saying goodbye to him before going to the village._

_“Now, I can begin.” Serene said as her runes appeared and glowed brightly with the water flowing all towards her gently. Four elemental small stones circled around her as orbs appeared around them._

_“You aren’t that concerned that Zarkon might attack?” Asked her husband._

_“I am. I am trying mask my nervousness and concerns from the people. I’ll be finished with this ceremony. Once it’s done, then my soul shall find a reincarnation to do what I have started. One day, she’ll be the one to connect all worlds as a Great Ikri.” Serene replied._

_“Alright. I trust you.”_

_“I knew you would, Ronin.” Serene smiled as she kissed him softly on the lips with his hands on her waist._

(~)

_Adelram was walking along the path with his friends in the village seeing the Festival of Lights. It has so many bright shiny colours. He also blushed when he saw Mizuki in a silver dress with her hair in a bun. Gaius did as well but knew that Mizuki has eyes only for his best friend. He might as well move on knowing that they love each other._

_Then he blushed brightly when he saw Suki in a similar dress but her long hair is down with strands of braids. He gulped softly and smiled a little. He felt a hand on his shoulder and saw Adelram was grinning, then pushing him forward towards Suki._

_“Uh, h-hi, Suki. Um, you girls are going to be dancing?” Gaius asked nervously, then glared at Adelram who whistled innocently._

_“Yes, we are in a few minutes. Ash and Misty are just going to get ready. Thought you two were with Ares and Apollo?” Suki wondered._

_“We are just going to be with them in a few moments. I just let my sister be with my father since she is a daddy’s little girl.” Adelram smiled. The two girls giggled seeing a doting older brother being so content with his life as a first-born Mage prince and an older brother. It seems that life is treating him well._

_Everyone was gathered to the stage as the Moon sisters were starting to dance for the audience and everyone cheered. The little girls were singing along and danced as well but some of them fell down to the ground._

_Adelram and his friends shared their drinks with each other until Adelram sensed an evil presence and looked up in the sky. He saw a Galra cruiser coming down to the atmosphere and was ready take aim for the village._

_“EVERYONE GET DOWN!” Adelram shouted as the laser came shooting down at the village and killed a few mages much to their horror. Ares and Gaius got everyone to safety while Apollo went to the girl’s aid and ran for the sacred temples that can keep them safe._

_Adelram was running towards to some of the people that were on the ground and helped them up. They all escaped to the forest with the guards coming to their air and started fighting off the Galra soldiers who were under Zarkon’s command._

_“Father!” Adelram ran to his injured father who was holding Dandelion’s ribbon in his hands. It was stained by blood. Both the father and son trembled in place mourning for sudden death, while Ronin stood up weakly._

_“Father, no!” Adelram exclaimed._

_“Go, get your mother!” Ronin exclaimed weakly, urging him to move on to find his mother._

_Adelram reluctantly did what he was asked to do and ran in the forest and fought a few soldiers. He looked at one of oldest temples being attacked. He was about to made a run for it until lasers came shooting at him next to the tree._

_He looked back seeing his father was fighting one of them. he made a run for it. He panted tiredly and was on his way to save his mother, he jumped on the trees and grabbed one branch and turned it onto a spear with his powers. He swung it at the Galra soldiers and stabbed them one by one._

_Then he heard a gunshot and he stopped in his tracks. He gasped raggedly and slowly looked back to see his own father was shot and killed. His knees dropped and his eyes turned bright red, unleashing dark energy deep inside of him as the Galra soldiers stood in shock._

(~)

Adelram woke up in his chambers and breathed in and out. He looked around and saw the Dark Creatures are around him. He growled at them and they all scurried away, fearing the Dark Mage. He has been having these dreams of his early days.

He has been haunted the by ghost of his own mother who died during the Galra invasion and attack on planet Zelza. He looked at himself in the mirror and saw dark circles underneath his eyes. he rubbed them tiredly and sighed as he had taken medication that some of the servants has been giving him.

(~)

Ash checked over her wound, it was healing thanks to Suki. She was also amazed by the technology around her in the Altean castle. It was amazing to see such nice and clean technology in her life. She also was getting used to seeing a half-Galran in the castle ship. He seemed a very nice and caring person.

She was even surprised to see an Altean together with a Galran half-breed. Maybe things did really change as Ares was telling her early. “Hey, uh, are you okay?” Ares came to her side in the dining room.

“Yes. I am fine, Ares. Thank you.” Ash replied with a smile that masked her sadness from the loss of her father. The man who killed him was their childhood friend, Adelram. She couldn’t believe he was a bloody killer who wanted to take over pure magic and unleash Dark mana.

“You don’t look like it.” Ares said, noticing that was a fake smile of hers.

“My father died. And Mizuki was captured by Adelram.” Ash said, knowing that Ares has many other ways to get her to say the truth.

Ares stood there silently and patted her on the head, knowing that she is mourning over the death of her only family. But her father did what needed to be by protecting his precious daughter of the Sun Mage Tribe. If she were dead, he would be furious to lose his best friend.

“So, we are in Altea?” Ash asked.

“Yes, we are. Apollo is just speaking to them about the scrolls and the books with Misty and Suki. And the Paladins are all over the place.” Ares said, sitting down next to her.

“Why is that?” Ash asked.

“The leader of the Paladins is the older brother of this Kaela. She’s the one that Adelram revived from the dead. They are still deciding whether or not they should not kill her.” Ares replied.

“Sounds like the most toughest decision they all have to make.” Ash said. “And is he a Mage as well?”

“No. But he does have mana in him. Queen Allura said that Kaela transferred her mana to him.” Ares replied. Ash nodded in understanding, seeing that a Galran has mana inside of him. Well, if Mages have siblings, they will share some thoughts together close by or even far away from each other in a long distance. If they have a non-mage sibling, they would have a psychic link and share their thoughts together.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the Castle, Keith was looking through the books and the scrolls. He was also looking at his sister’s notes and they were detailed and similar. He has this weird feeling that he could understand some of the words. But Kaela did taught him along with Coran. He tried his best to get the translations right.

He also saw the page of a reversal spell and one page was ripped. He raised an eyebrow in confusion and then looked at Kaela’s books and saw the actual page seeing a mage being in a corrupted form and saw the four elemental stones circling around the mage. The instructions are in ancient Zelzan language. Kaela didn’t get to teach him.

Then he saw another word that resembled Altean language and somehow, he understood it well. It looked familiar and he doesn’t know where or when he had seen it. Might be similar to Kaela’s runes on her arms.

“Hey, I was looking through the description of the spell. It also accompanies with a totem. A spirit totem.” Pidge said, coming in the room.

“The one that holds a mage’s soul?” Keith asked.

“Yeah, and I think Adelram did trap her soul in a totem. He must’ve have a totem made and trapped her soul inside it.” Pidge said as she put out the papers on the table.

Keith looked at the papers and looked at it with interest. Pidge pulled out the scrolls and it rolled down seeing it was very, very, very long as it reached all the way to the door with Lance coming in. “Well, that’s why you guys were taking a long time.” Lance said sarcastically.

“I just got here to show him the scrolls. I have been trying to decipher the translations. If she were here, she would have cracked this in minutes. Not hours!” Pidge exclaimed in frustration with her boyfriend comforting her.

“It’s okay. Keith might know, right?” Lance asked, turning to their leader.

“I do know some of the words. But uh, not the ancient Zelzan language.” Keith replied.

“Maybe the Mages could help.” Pidge suggested and right on time, Suki and Gaius along with Apollo came inside the room.

“Ah, I see you have started. Excellent.” Suki said as she put up the scrolls and then threw them into the air and it all circled around them with dust coming out. “Oops. Sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Keith said with a smile.

Suki was looking after the scrolls and read the ancient languages in the two ancient scrolls. She also was analysing the other books that were on the table. She was too focused on the spells instructions while the Paladins and Gaius were waiting patiently.

“So, how long does it take to translate all of this?” Lance asked.

“It takes a few minutes. Suki has always worked on this sometimes with her sister. Mage school as a class where we have to learn all of these.” Gaius said. “Well, except for me. I am not a mage. I am a guard.”

“Do mages hear voices in their head? My sister, Kaela had these experiences and she said she had met Serene in a realm. With me, I just started to hear these voices in my head.” Keith explained to Suki and Gaius.

That got Suki’s attention as she looked at Keith. “How often do you hear those voices?”

“I only heard them last night. I thought it would be Kaela, but it sounded different.” Keith replied.

“Hmm, it is common for all of us to hear voices. You have a very strong telepathic link to your sister. This might be another way to try and track her down, if that is you are fully trained.” Suki said.

“No. I just started, and she only taught me Zelzan language.” Keith said.

“Hmm, well, we could always find another way to find your sister.” Suki smiled as Gaius put a hand on her shoulder.

(~)

Shiro came in the bridge to see Allura busy looking at all of the solar systems in the galaxy. He could see she has been doing this non-stop and hasn’t still taken a rest. “Allura, you should be resting.” Shiro said to the Queen.

“No. I won’t rest until we have located her. She needs our help. I can’t give up on her now.” Allura replied, not taking her eyes off the screen and not facing Shiro.

“Still. You are tired and you looked hungry.” Shiro pointed out. “Here, I got you food.” Allura looked at Shiro who held the tray of food. Her stomach growled and she sighed, feeling hungry. She swiped away the screens away and grabbed the tray and sat down. she started to eat the food but slowly.

“Sorry. I just wanted to find her so badly after Coran had lied to us that he had detected Kaela’s energy and now it is gone. I have been trying to find her.” Allura said.

“Hey, all of us are determined to find her. Mostly James.” Shiro said.

“How is he holding up?” Allura asked.

“He is doing alright. He’s shaken up.” Shiro replied as Allura nodded in understanding. “He’ll be alright. But he was concerned with all of you.”

“Why is that?” Allura wondered.

“He might think that all of you will turn out to be going against each other. You and Keith mostly. And maybe things will get hectic as soon as we find Kaela.” Shiro replied with his hands clasped together.

“What? That’s impossible. We are family. We trust each other.” Allura said with a small smile. Though, she could clearly feel the tension rising in the team. She hoped that nothing will ever break them apart.

“I know that is it impossible but what if that will happen?” Shiro asked.

“I do not know. We must be wary of each other.” Allura said.

(~)

Adelram was walking down the dungeon and walked towards a cell. He looked at the body of his fiancée Mizuki, who had trapped herself in a deep sleep spell. He gritted his teeth in anger and looked at one of the Moon Mages. “Well, any luck?” Adelram asked with his voice quivering in anger.

“N-Nothing yet, my lord. She remains in a deep sleep.” Said one of the Moon Mages.

Adelram glared at them all and looked away with a heavy, tired sigh. He was getting impatient and it irritates him to see that the Mages has the books and the scrolls. They were nearly upon his reach and nearly succeeding the most unlimited power! He must find another way to separate the Mages and the Paladins.

Then the Moon Mages all gasped in horror and took a step back. Adelram turned around to see Kaela was walking up to them her with red dress as her cold blood-red eyes stared into the eyes of the innocent Moon Mages. The dark creatures were behind her and growled at the Mages.

“Now, now, dear sister. No need for us to fight. I am just merely visiting my lovely fiancée.” Adelram said.

Kaela’s eyes slowly turned towards the sleeping mage and looked back at the Dark Mage Prince. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously and then looked at the Moon Mages. “Oh, they are here just to help me, but their assistance is lacking.” Adelram said as he turned them into stones.

Kaela grinned a little and then her mouth opened as her voice was being heard for the very first time. “What is our next move?” Kaela asked in an icy tone and voice.

“Our next move is for you to greet your brother again. But maybe keep things more interesting. And more…. Dramatic.” Adelram slyly smirked with Kaela raised an eyebrow in confusion.

(~)

Keith walked into the bridge and saw Allura was reading something in her hands. He walked to the side and leaned over her shoulder. He gasped when he saw she was reading her journals. Allura was reading it slowly to get all of the details in her books.

“I have recognised some of the Zelzan words. She is saying “fate”, “power” and “faith” in two or three pages. These pages were about her visions. But she had said it might not come true.” Allura said.

“My visions came true and it is evident that I am a Mage. I can hear voices and I can see some visions.” Keith said and looked down on his palm remembering what Kaela had written on his hand.

“And I don’t know what she had written on my hand. She was in this realm of the living. I saw her. She looked older. She was in a white, blue and purple Mage dress with feathers on her hair. She was smiling and then she wrote a Zelzan writing on my palm.” Keith said.

“Can you remember it?” Allura asked, holding his hand.

Keith grabbed one of the journal and started to write the symbol. Allura watched carefully as he made soft and smooth curves on the paper. She seemed not to understand it. She hummed and looked at the paper carefully.

“Hmm, I have never heard of that word before. Maybe perhaps a rune?” Allura asked.

“Maybe.” Keith said.

“Did she have her runes in your vision?” Allura asked.

“Well, I saw more elemental runes on her arms, and she had tattoos.” Keith replied. Allura nodded and thought that Kaela in his vision might not actually be her. Maybe another person? Maybe an illusion to the vision? Maybe it is telling him something.

“What if it is not really Kaela, but maybe someone else is reaching out to you?” Allura suggested. Keith raised an eyebrow in confusion and thought long and hard on this. She did look like Kaela. She looked older, in her 20s or 30s.

“I don’t know. I was sure that was her.” Keith said as he held on to the book tightly.

Then the doors opened and saw Pidge with a device on her hand with Lance behind her with a few books in his hands. “Pidge, I’m pretty sure you missed this one.” Lance said as Pidge nodded and wrote it down on her device.

“What did you guys get so far?” Keith asked the two.

“Well, it is all ancient and Misty and Suki said that the reversal spell requires a few spells and ingredients.” Pidge said as she grimaced.

“Katie, what is it?” Allura asked in concern as well as Keith. Lance just shook his head not wanting them to ask her.

“Well, the ingredients involve something from an animal. Venom, teeth and uh other stuff that doesn’t need to be mentioned.” Pidge said as she covered her mouth with Lance rubbing her back.

“Anyway, we can also find some leaves and plants that might help as well.” Lance said. “It is in a planet not far from here.”

“Great. Let’s get started. You and me, Pidge will go.” Allura smiled with Pidge nodding with a smile.

“Wait, what? How about us?” Keith asked.

“Yeah! Don’t you want your manly man help you out there?” Lance asked, also agreeing not to let the girls to be in danger even though they knew they can take care of each other.

“Boys, we can handle things here. And darling, please, take care of the Castle while we are gone.” Allura said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. Pidge also did the same and Lance cupped her cheeks and kissed her on the lips. The Queen just smiled and rolled her eyes playfully and then pulled her away from Lance who pouted with Keith patting him on the back.

Gaius was in the hallway and bowed down to Queen Allura and Pidge in respect. Then he looked at the two girls, seeing that they were preparing to go a planet to get one of the ingredients for the reversal spell.

He silently followed them into the hangars. He saw on the screen that they were going to a planet nearby. He looked at the communicator in his hands and was hesitating to press the button. He groaned silently then sent him a message instead.

Adelram heard the communicator beeping. He looked at the message from Gaius saying that two of the of the Paladins were going on a hunt to find one of the ingredients for a reversal spell. He chuckled to himself. _This plan is going to work eventually._

(~)

A portal opened in a planet and Kaela stepped out, observing the area, looking at the trees as she heard the leaves rustling. She heard birds chirping in the air and then one fell on the ground. She walked towards it and saw its wing was broken.

She gently took the birds in her hands and covered her other hand on the bird as energy flowed around her hands and closed her eyes. As the light died down, she opened her hands and the bird’s wing was fully healed. She let it fly away from her into the skies.

She stared into the sky and then walked off to continue on her task that Adelram had wanted her to do. She walked up on a mountain and then heard screaming from the other side of the forest. She heard screaming and shouting. It sounded so annoying to her and nearly wanted to avoid it. Then she paused hearing one calling out a name.

 _“Pidge!”_ Kaela perked up as her red eyes glowed brightly as red energy appeared and flowed around her.

Allura and Pidge were running away from a deadly animal in the planet. They thought it was a harmless and adorable animal. They were running in the forest with their bayards in their hands to climb on the trees to escape from the creature.

“There is no other way to get rid of this thing!” Pidge exclaimed.

“Then we must find a way to get away from that thing!” Allura jumped on a tree above her and helped Pidge up onto the branch. “We have to get out of the forest.” Pidge nodded in agreement until her tracker detected something from a far distance.

“Okay, it says that one of the ingredients is in that mountain.” Pidge said.

“Alright, then we must get out of here to get to the mountain.” Allura said running into the forest with Pidge by her side with the creature running after them. Chasing them in hot pursuit. Then fire engulfed around the creature and tangled it with vines.

Both of the girls stopped, seeing the animal was being strangled in place with the fire circling around them. Allura looked around and tried to find whoever was trapping them. Pidge stayed close to her with her bayard in hand. Allura saw the fire parted for someone to get through the fire.

Allura saw it was Kaela and saw red cracks were glowing as well as her eyes. They glowed brightly and she stared at them with an emotionless expression. She raised her hand up as the creature roared in pain.

Allura knew she was hurting him and saw she was extracting the energy from the beast. “Kaela, stop!”

Kaela didn’t stop what she was doing, and she was still focused on extracting the beasts energy. It was too much for her and she was struggling to let go in the inside. She grunted softly as she saw a flashback in her memory briefly and then put her hand down and let the beast run free. She panted tiredly, softly as she looked at the two girls in front of her.

“What are you doing here?” Kaela asked coldly as her red eyes stared at them.

“Why should we tell you?” Allura asked, still keeping her guard. Seeing if she will attack them or not. She had already hurt Pidge and she is not going to hurt anyone.

“Then I should be on my way. You should get out of here before more of those things come back.” Kaela said gruffly as she walked away from them.

“Wait, are you here to do some of Adelram’s dirty work?” Pidge asked.

Kaela faced the Green Paladin and glared at her. “Why do you girls care about me?”

“Because you are our friend. Our Mage Healer. Our sister. Please, come back with us and we will help you.” Allura pleaded.

“I am beyond help. This body has no soul. I have no soul. I am just a puppet.” Kaela said. “There is no use with you helping me.”

Then out of nowhere, arrows came flying up and shooting at them. Allura and Pidge shielded themselves with Kaela burning off the arrows and then levitated herself to the archers and fought them off with her powers. She even turned them into ash as her eyes turned red orange. Allura watched and seen what Kaela was capable with dark magic and stood frozen, knowing it is not the Kaela she knew.

After Kaela was done with the archers and went down on the ground below and made her way to the mountain, leaving the girls behind and not saying a word. She saw Allura and Pidge running towards the mountain without knowing the dangers it might holds and continued their mission so they can help Kaela to revert back to normal.

“Such a strange duo.” Kaela said.

(~)

“You sure it is right to let them go on a mission?” James asked Keith and Lance as they stood around in the hangars.

“I-I don’t know. They seemed to be okay. Now they have been gone for like what?” Lance asked, looking at Keith.

“About 30 minutes. Lance, I’m sure they are going to be fine.” Keith assured his friend.

“I hope that Adelram won't force her to do something that she doesn't want to do." Lance said as he put his hands on his hips worried about Kaela's current state. 

“I was sure that Kaela won’t hurt them.” Keith said. “Why would she want to kill them?”

“No one is saying that she is going to kill anybody. I saw it. Her tears were real, Keith. She’d told us to run before that blast wave hit us.” Lance said.

“But she almost killed you and Hunk. Also your girlfriend.” Keith said as he rubbed his tired eyes.

James was seeing this conversation will turn into an argument. It was becoming more heated. He could see that Lance was even more fighting to make Keith see that they could find a way to get her back to them while Keith feels like they had lost her for good.

“Look, Lance, maybe it was a trick. Adelram is behind this. He is controlling her as Princess Mizuki was saying.” Keith stated. “She also said that she saw Kaela and Adelram killed another prince!”

"That was not her! It was ALL him, Keith! All of this is getting in your head!" Lance exclaimed angrily. 

“Guys, let’s not fight here.” James said sternly to the two Paladins. Lance and Keith had a stare down with James watching helplessly, seeing the two Paladins are not going to be on the same page.

(~)

Kaela walked up the mountain and stopped seeing Pidge was trying to climb up the wall with Allura’s help. She raised an eyebrow at them and walked towards them. “You are really slow for being the Defenders of the Universe.”

Allura was startled and then turned around with Pidge falling down. “Oh, apologies Katie.” She helped her up with Kaela walking towards them and then the ground below them rumbled and it made them go up all the way to the top.

“You’re welcome.” Kaela said blandly and then put up a shield with more arrows came shooting down at them. Allura got her bayard out and it turned into a luxite blade with Kaela’s eyes widened and watched her slicing the arrows with ease.

Kaela raised her hands up as she made illusion copies of herself and attacked the hunters that surrounded them. She punched the ground as vines came out from the ground and caught the archers. They all screamed and were struggling in the hold of the vines. “You both don’t know the dangers in that mountain. Think about what you are doing. Do not go through that entrance, your highness.” Kaela called out to Allura who stubbornly going through the entrance.

Kaela huffed and scoffed as she crossed her arms and looked down at Pidge who sweats nervously. “Uh, I’ll just follow her.” Pidge smiled nervously.

Kaela just sighed tiredly and followed the Green Paladin in the cave. She got out a red lantern and let it float in the darkness. Pidge ran down to see Allura had stopped. Once she caught up to her, she gasped in horror seeing dead bodies all over the ground.

The corrupted Mage raised an eyebrow seeing nothing on the ground until she put her hands on their shoulders and created an invisible barrier around them. Making them realising, it was all an illusion. “It wasn’t real?” Allura asked softly.

“No. It isn’t. Now, what are you two doing here?” Kaela asked

“How can we trust you? I mean, you are here obviously for a reason. Maybe Adelram sent you to do something for him.” Pidge pointed out.

“And you almost killed Pidge, Lance and even Hunk! How do we even know that you are still, well, you? You don’t seemed to be the same Kaela we know. Just a corrupted person that he had revived.” Allura spatted.

Kaela’s red eyes glowed brightly and then pinned Allura on the stone wall with Pidge pointing her bayard at her. Kaela growled softly as she choked the Altean Queen while Allura could see her red glowing eyes are nearly turning back to light purple.

Pidge was shaking from where she was standing, and she nearly dropped her bayard as soon as Kaela had pinned Allura on the wall. She doesn’t know whether or not she should attack or not? She saw that the Mage was hesitating.

“K-Kaela, you are hurting her.” Pidge said to her. Kaela growled lightly and then let go of Allura. She fell to her knees and coughed, trying to get some air as she took off her helmet.

“Ugh, you just remind me when we first met!” Allura exclaimed.

“Good thing I was thinking the same thing.” Kaela said as she knelt down to her level. “I do remember that you didn’t accept me at first.”

Allura stood up to her feet with her blue crystal eyes meeting her red-blood eyes. She could see a little bit of her light purple eye colour. She thought there is still small hope in getting her back to them. But she doesn’t want to get her hopes up. She truly wanted her friend and sister back.

“Okay, now I don’t want another Keith and Shiro 2.0 fight, but we need to find that thing, Allura and our Lions.” Pidge said as she held her arm.

Kaela raised an eyebrow and watched as the two girls went down the long staircase in the cave. She frowned and then felt a sting her head. She grunted in pain and heard a calming voice in her head overlapping with other voices and Adelram’s.

She heard laughter, crying, shouting and yelling in her head. It was too painful for her to endure and she gritted in pain as she fell to her knees. Then she saw Keith standing in the Castle of Lions in a room. She saw that he had sensed something. He looked into her direction and started to walk slowly towards him.

“Ella?”

“K-Keith?” Kaela whispered as she reached out to him. Keith reached out to her as well and they held hands slightly until a sharp pain went inside their heads and both were in pain. They both screamed in pain with Keith laying down on the ground, hearing the voices as well with Shiro and James coming inside, hearing Keith was in pain.

Allura and Pidge in the cave, heard was happening to her. They both saw she was in extricating pain. “What’s happening to her?” Pidge asked.

“I do not know. But I think this is Adelram’s doing.” Allura said with her eyes widened.

They could see her reaching out to a wall, much to her confusion, not until they heard she was calling out to Keith. “She can see Keith?” Pidge asked.

“Yes, in a way. If mages have a sibling, they have a psychic link. So, Kaela and Keith still have that strong bond to look in each other’s minds. Like they are doing right now.” Allura explained.

“Is there a way to stop the pain?” Pidge asked.

“I am not sure. But it is up to them.” Allura replied.

Keith was still in pain, seeing someone’s thoughts. He was hearing all these voices and seeing shapes. He was now seeing a man looking out a crashed space craft. The man walked and saw a silvered hair woman inside, bleeding. Then Keith saw an Altean woman with long silvery hair and was cradling a baby in her arms.

The next thing he saw older Kaela or so he thought. She looked different. She had a fringe with long silvery hair. She has Altean markings on her cheeks and they were the colour of magenta and she wore a long silver dress. She had similar runes to Kaela’s. She was mouthing something to him. he didn’t understand until he felt another sharp pain in his head.

Kaela screamed in pain as her dark runes appeared and glowed. Felt her blood boiling inside of her. Allura went to hold her arm but it burnt her instantly. She saw a woman in front of her and was kissing her on her forehead. She felt a familiar warmth from her. She looked different and doesn’t appear to look like Serene. She looked a bit like her but older. She had same eyes as Keith and their father.

The siblings panted tiredly as the pain had stopped hearing a menacing voice in their heads. _“You think that you can take her back, Paladin Keith. Princess Kaela is mine. Her mind and soul are mine. And your bond will be severely broken!”_ Adelram exclaimed as a wave electricity appeared and both siblings were in pain again.

Shiro and James looked on in concern also in shock seeing visible markings appear underneath his eyes. Looked like Altean. Also, they could see runes glowing on his arms. They heard Lance running in the room. “Whoa! Are those Altean markings also runes?” Lance asked.

Keith held his head in hand as he gritted his fangs. Then they all saw hie eyes were sclerae were dilated and his eyes were yellow. He continued screaming and felt his sister’s pain. He could see Kaela with Allura and Pidge in a cave. They both looked concerned about her. He could see pain in her eyes. “What is happening in here?” Gaius appeared asking in concern as Suki came in with Ash, Misty behind her.

“No, someone is separating them.” Suki gasped. “Shiro, James, get away from him. We shall do what we can do here to stop the pain.”

Gaius looked at the princesses in concern as well as Apollo and Ares. Suki created a circle rune around Keith. Misty put her hands on each of his temple with Ash chanting a spell as the circle glowed. They all tried to stop the pain, but Keith screamed in pain as well hearing his own sister screaming and shouting in pain.

Keith and Kaela were writhing in pain as Adelram fought off the mages from his mind and continued to break the psychic connection between Kaela and Keith. Adelram could feel that the Mages were trying to stop him. “You cannot stop me now!” Adelram shouted.

Misty screamed as Keith unintentionally used his claws and hit Misty on the arm. Ash went to her side while Suki healed her wound. “He’s too powerful! He is breaking their psychic connection.” Suki said.

Shiro and James looked at Keith who was still in pain. He looked to the side of the wall and then saw the cave where Kaela was. She was looking at him with tears and she reached out to him. He wasn’t seeing the corrupted Kaela. He was seeing his sister. Her eyes were light purple, and her runes were in her arms in his visions. He reached out to her as well. “Ella.” Then a sharp pain came and then their connection was broken.

The pain had stopped, and Keith went into unconscious while Kaela felt numb all over. Feeling the connection she had with her brother is now broken. She heard the voices from Allura and Pidge. They were frantically panicking seeing she wasn’t moving. She looked like pale and then her eyes returned to the colour of blood. Her arms started to glow and then the creature inside attacked them with Kaela attacking back and turning beast into ash, leaving Allura and Pidge in shock seeing a more ruthless side from her.

In the Castle of Lions, Keith stood up with Shiro, helping him up. “What happened, Keith?”

“She’s…gone.” Keith replied shakily.

“What.... She’s dead?” James asked.

“No. I mean, our connection. I don’t see or hear her anymore. She’s gone.” Keith replied, still in shock that Adelram had broken their link to each other. He can’t hear her voice or anyone’s voice anymore. He can’t hear her thoughts. The last thought he heard from Kaela before their link was broken. He felt numb all over and was in deep shock after hearing her last thought that sent him into deep despair.


	9. Soul and Mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Adelram’s success in separating Kaela and Keith, Kaela has gone rogue and left the Paladins even more determined to save her, but the rest of the Coalition were on the hunt to take her down. Meanwhile, Allura and Pidge continued on their search to find one of the ingredients and got help from an unexpected old friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the new chapter! I hope you all enjoy it! 
> 
> As always, comment and please give feedback! 
> 
> Enjoy!

Pidge closed her eyes and shook in fear with Allura looking on with mouth a gaped, seeing Kaela had gone rogue in front of them. She had turned every animal in the cave into ash, this was Adelram’s doing in order to make her lose control of herself and make her do his dirt work.

She realised this could be their chance in getting one of the ingredients. “Katie, we must go.” Allura turned to Pidge who looked at Kaela worriedly and then nodded in agreement.

They both made a run for it with Kaela looking and growled at them. She sends her fiery blast and shoots at them with Allura using her alchemy abilities and a shield appeared. She grunted in effort feeling that Kaela was powerful, seeing that she has dark magic in her.

Kaela and Allura on par with their abilities. The Altean Queen sensed something in Kaela. Something faint, something ancient, something familiar. She looked at Kaela as her eyes glowed dark red. Allura grunted as she could see that she was walking towards them with her blast still on the shield as it was starting to break

Pidge gasped seeing the power of an Altean and a Mage up close. She was amazed how their powers are similar. They both are powerful magic users and used their abilities for the greater good until people saw that Mage magic may be dangerous. It is now known that Dark Magic is dangerous and illegal. She used her bayard and then hit Kaela on the head with her grappling hook. She felt guilty for hurting her in her corrupted form and had given Allura and herself the chance to escape from her.

(~)

Keith was still in his room, with his head in his hands. He was still shaken up from what had happened. Adelram had broken their connection with each other. While that was happening, Keith could hear all of her thoughts and felt her emotions. Felt her pain. He also saw Kaela laying down on the ground in a dark void. He was desperately reaching out for her while she didn’t.

He saw her light purple eyes one last time. They looked dead for a minute. And just only for a minute. She was crying in his vision. He heard her last thought that made him not believing that he could save her. Adelram has Kaela completely under his control.

She turned around to him and never reached out for him. Keith was reaching out for her while trying to call out her name. But instead, he heard her last thought. _Keith…. I wish you were dead._

Shiro went inside the room and saw Keith was still shaken up. He tried to get him to talk but he refused to talk to anyone. “H-Hey, Keith. Um, the Mages will come in and help you to deal with this.” Shiro said to the former Paladin who was sitting on a chair.

Keith just nodded and let the Mages in. They all looked drained from helping him to intervene Adelram’s plan to break the siblings connection, but he was far too powerful. Keith looked at the Mages in front of him and saw Misty was holding her injury. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Misty smiled politely. “It is fine, Keith. It is healing. We need to talk about something.” Keith perked up and listened carefully and closely as they all paid full attention on what Misty was going to talk about.

Meanwhile, Allura and Pidge ran to the deepest parts of the cave leaving rogue and corrupted Kaela. They both panted tiredly with Allura taking off her helmet. “I cannot believe it.” Allura breath out and put her hands on her knees.

“Believe what?” Pidge asked.

“Adelram…. He made her go rogue. It’s like she doesn’t know us anymore.” Allura replied. “We must find that ingredient that we need to help Kaela.”

“Right. And we are close by.” Pidge nodded as she led the both of them in a tunnel that leads into a little river with crystals hanging in the ceiling of the cave. Allura saw the water dripping from the ceiling.

Allura stopped and raised an eyebrow, she looked back and saw no one behind her. She hummed curiosity and kept on going to follow Pidge into the tunnel. Then they saw the light and saw a garden with the sun shining through. There was flowers everywhere in the garden and the trees were glowing into different colours. The two girls gasped in wonder seeing a wonderous sight.

“It’s… beautiful.” Allura gasped with Pidge nodding in agreement.

Then there was beeping from Pidge’s wrist comm. She ran towards a bush in front of the tree and saw the plant that the Mages needed for the spell. “Hey, Allura, I got it.” Pidge smiled.

“Excellent, Pidge.” Allura smiled at her best friend and caught up to her in front of the tree. “Let’s get out of here before Kaela gets to us.”

“But how are we gonna get out of here? Those hunters destroyed our ship.” Pidge pointed out as she got the plant they needed.

“Oh, I suppose we could uh, contact the Castle of Lions. I am sure Shiro will respond.” Allura said as she went and try to contact the Castle.

“You are still mad that Coran lied to you?” Pidge asked the Altean Queen and saw she froze in her tracks. She could tell that she was still mad at Coran for lying to her and the Paladins. She knew that Lance was furious as well. He does care for her as well. They all care for her so much.

“I suppose I am. She is like a sister to us all. She needs us more than ever.” Allura replied.

“You know she is corrupted, and her soul may be lost forever. So, technically, she is still dead.” Pidge said. Allura turned around and looked at Pidge who looked away. Holding her arm as she hugs herself, she felt unsure if they could save Kaela from her corrupted form.

Allura comforted the Green Paladin and hugged her tightly. “Katie, we will save her. I promise you that. We all will save her. Okay?” Pidge nodded and smiled, grateful that she was with Allura in this mission. She let her go and get the rest of the plant in the cave.

(~)

Adelram gasped in shock and fell down to his knees as he laughed hysterically with the guards watching in confusion. “Ahh, this is going splendidly! This is perfect!” Adelram exclaimed excitedly under his breath as he held on the totem tightly. “All of that glorious power….is MINE!”

“Sire, what did you exactly do?” asked one of the soldiers.

“I…I…. I broke Kaela’s psychic connection with her brother. It is finally done. I can mend my bond to Kaela and then I can have the ultimate power to destroy all Galra.” Adelram explained as he stood up.

The guards and soldiers all looked at Adelram silently, seeing him walking up at the edge of a balcony with dark magic aura trailing behind him. They all could see he is growing powerful, attempted and successfully revived Kaela into corruption, drained a few Mages power, broke the most strongest connection between the siblings and finally took over Kaela’s body.

He had achieved everything he wanted to do. His plans were working and now he is focusing on how to cause tension with all of the Paladins. He smirked knowing that they do care so much about Kaela, so, he will use her to try to cause tension between them all.

Adelram used his dark powers as he held onto the black Phoenix totem and chanted a spell. He closed his eyes and then felt Kaela’s aura. Back inside the cave, Kaela was turning an animal into ash as she felt his connection in her head. She smiled evilly after hearing his thoughts and then went onto search for the two Voltron Paladins.

(~)

“Hello, is anyone there?” Allura called out to the Castle through comms, but nothing was working. She wasn’t able to contact Shiro or Coran. Pidge tried to contact Lance and Hunk over and over. Still nothing was working.

“Nothing is working.” Allura exclaimed in frustration.

“Must be the magnetic disturbance in here.” Pidge suggested as she looked around the cave and saw more carvings from the books. The two girls saw a white Phoenix rising in the sky and in the stars with four stones spinning around the Phoenix spirit.

On the other side of the wall, she saw Voltron carved on a wall. It was a shape of the Blue Lion. It tells different stories. She looked on the ceiling on saw carvings of the ancient spirits. It was all different types of ancient spirits animals of all of Planet Zelza.

Then the whole cave was crumbling as Pidge held on to the plant in her arms and then the walls started to close in on them. “No! No!” Allura shouted as she tried to use her strength to stop the wall from moving. Pidge gasped seeing Kaela was the one who was moving the walls and she was destroying the tree.

“Ella! Stop this instant!” Allura demanded desperately. Then there was water coming down in the cave and it was freezing inside. She was going to freeze them to death. Kaela’s trying so hard to keep them trap for good in the cave.

Then she tries to get the plant from Pidge’s arms. “NO! Kaela don’t! Don’t do this!” Pidge pleaded. Kaela didn’t listen as she kept on closing in the walls while trying to get the plant from the Green Paladin’s grip. The two Paladins struggled to get more room as there was no room for them to escape.

Allura grunted in hopes of getting out of there while looking into Kaela’s eyes and realised that Adelram could be seeing what they were doing and knew that they got the plant. She saw Kaela was t5rying to get the plant from Pidge as the water started to rise up. Allura came to help Pidge to hold on to the plant while Kaela was dragging them with the plant.

(~)

The Castle of Lions went through a wormhole for the Mages to go through on route to Planet Zelza with Suki’s invisibility powers to get past the guards and flew down to the forest to get the venom from a particular animal that has the venom they needed.

Suki and Misty went to find it with Keith and Lance already on the field. The two girls could see that they had a tense moment before. They were concerned for Keith’s recent incident. He had lost his connection with his sister. Lance knew this would be hard for him, but he never gives up. “Hey, man, are you sure you don’t want any rest?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Keith replied gruffly. “Let’s move.”

The two mages looked at each other with Lance looking at his friend. He was suffering a lot for the past year. He had seen his own sister sacrificing and died, giving her aura to him so that he could live a long and peaceful life.

“It is alright. I know the feeling of having to lose someone. Zarkon did attacked our planet as I learnt that the Galra had redeemed. I had learned to let go of my anger.” Misty said to Lance.

Lance nodded and then his hand went straight to his scar that Kaela had given him and her first words to him. He was more positive that he can save her while Keith is all broken and shattered, he might think that there is no hope for her.

“But if there is a way to save your friend. We will do our best to do everything we can.” Suki smiled at Lance who smiled a little and nodded gratefully as they moved on.

Keith was following the girls with Lance by his side in the forest far away from the Capitol. Lance was keeping on an eye on Keith. He seemed more distant and more quiet. “So which creature do we need to get the venom?” Keith asked Misty and Suki.

Suki and Misty looked at each other nervously and then looked at the Paladins. “Well, it is a vicious creature that we usually don’t hunt.” Suki replied as she fidget with her hands.

“But it is good meat. It’s a snow virepanther. They have the strongest venom that makes you to lose your balance in your tracks and in your mind.” Misty added with a smile. “I even hunted this animal twice a year.”

Keith and Lance raised an eyebrow as the two girls were hiding behind the bushes and waited for a while. Keith looked around until he heard a voice. He turned around and saw the woman he had seen before in his vision. He gasped when he saw she had this sad and guilt-ridden look on her face.

He doesn’t know why she was looking at him like that. She reached out for him until Lance put a hand on Keith’s shoulder. “Hey, are you okay?”

Keith looked back at where the woman he had seen and saw she was gone. “Yeah, I’m fine. You didn’t see her?” Keith asked.

“Who is ‘her’?” Lance asked as he looked behind Keith. No one is there. Suki and Misty both could see that there is no one in the forest but them.

“Never mind. I was just imaging stuff.” Keith said until they all heard growling from the distance and saw the panther had spotted them. Suki and Misty got ready to fight off the panther while the boys got their bayards out.

The creature ran towards them as Misty used her earthly powers with the vines growing and trapped the creature. Suki quickly ran to the creature as it was trying to fight back to get out of the vines. Suki plunged a dart into the panther but missed.

Keith caught her in his arms as Lance grabbed the dart and then plunged it onto its neck and it calmed down with Misty releasing it and then heard something. She frowned in confusion as she placed her hand on the tree trunk. She closed her eyes, feeling the immediate connection with the trees.

“Mist, what’s wrong?” Suki asked her childhood friend worriedly.

“Something is wrong in the water tribe. Something huge is coming out of the water underground.” Misty replied. “I don’t know. It felt ancient.” Keith and Lance both looked at each other and it reminded them about how they found the Blue Lion when they all first met each other and when they got Shiro out from the Garrison.

In the cave, Allura closed her eyes as she reached out to Kaela who now has the plant in her hands while Pidge got a few of their own. They both watched as the plant was burning in her hands with Allura and Pidge gasping in shock and in disbelief.

“Ella, please don’t do this.” Allura pleaded as she reached out to her. Kaela scoffed and was about to finished them off until she felt something in the distance. As well as Allura. Pidge looked at the two girls in confusion.

“Allura, what’s wrong?” Pidge asked.

At the same time, Keith and Lance felt the ground shaking and then saw a blue trail coming out from the ground with a loud and majesty roar that can be heard from where the Mages and the two Paladins were. Lance smiled brightly. “It’s the Blue Lion! It’s back!”

In the cave where the girls were also felt the cave was crumbling with debris falling down on them. Kaela’s glowing eyes died down as she looked around, also hearing something. She turned around and saw a woman, with black hair, markings on her arms, wearing blue and red dress with her hair tied up in a ponytail with short bangs. She looked almost like her. She looked at her sadly and reached out to her.

Kaela refused to take anyone’s hand and the voice in her head couldn’t stop ringing in her ears. She growled as she made the walls turn into a cage with the water rising and she levitated above them. Hoping to watch their demise until something was coming their way.

Allura and Pidge felt it as well as the ceiling came crashing down and appeared the Blue Lion, roaring ferociously at Kaela who was being pinned down by its blasts and freed the girls from their cage. Allura and Pidge hopped into the Lion with Allura piloting it like the old times.

Kaela growled angrily as she pounded her fist in the ground and flew into the tunnel and followed them in the cave. She flew faster as she send blasts at the mechanical Lion. Inside the Lion, Allura was smiling as she was glad the Blue Lion again.

“It is good to see you again, old friend.” Allura smiled. Pidge was smiling as well, she loved flying ad piloting in her Lion, hoping to get her Lion soon. “Katie, see if you can be able to call the Castle of Lions. See if you can reach them!”

Pidge nodded while she set the remains of the plant down on the floor while Allura was piloting her Lion to fly away from Kaela who was going after them in the cave. She was gaining on them and she was shooting her red blasts at them.

“Whoa! Keep her steady, Lura!” Pidge exclaimed as she tried to get her balance.

“Sorry, it is a bit bumpy here.” Allura said as she made a turn in the tunnel with water appearing from the walls. She pushed the controls back as she pulled her Lion back with Kaela looking at them in confusion. Not until she was hit by the spike on the ceiling and fell down on the ground.

She was knocked unconscious down below. Allura looked down at where Kaela fell as she heard Pidge was talking with Shiro. “Yeah, yeah, we got the plant. Is Lance and Keith there with you?” Pidge asked.

“No, Pidge, they haven’t come back yet. What happened on your end?” Shiro asked worriedly.

“We were with Kaela and then all of the sudden she was in deep pain. She was holding her head in pain.” Pidge replied.

“it happened to Keith also. But he is alright. He went into deep shock. And he is assisting the Mage Princesses with Lance in finding the venom for the spell.” Shiro explained what had happened in the Castle of Lions.

“Where are you exactly? That looks like—Wait, is that…?”

“Yup. It’s the Blue Lion! She’s back!” Pidge smiled as she shown him Allura piloting Blue. She also saw that Allura was walking towards the doors. She was getting outside of her Lion and jumped out, using her jetpack to stabilized her landing.

She landed on the ground where Kaela fell. Allura looked down at her and saw she was breathing and was alive. She took a good look at her. She still has her markings and the diamond on her forehead. What is different is her hair, it is white as snow. She already had seen her red eyes. It is not the same Kaela she knew but has complete faith that they can save her.

Allura bent down and got her on her back and called the Blue Lion down to where she was. Once she entered in her Lion, she set her down and put cuffs on her wrists. “Allura? We are taking her to the Castle of Lions?” Pidge asked.

“Yes, we are. We need to at least try and reverse the spell.” Allura replied as she got the cuffs on tightly.

(~)

Back in Zelza, Suki and Misty carefully extracted the venom from the teeth. They were careful enough not to wake up the beast. Keith and Lance were watching as they were curious why the Mages had to undertake a complicated training.

“You guys learnt this at a young age?” Lance asked hesitantly as he looked at the creature’s mouth.

“Yes, we all have to. At the age of 11 or above. Misty did it at age 9.” Suki replied as she got the last drop of the venom. “We Mages had to prepare ourselves before we even fight our parent’s wars. We all inherited our family’s weapons. Everything they had.”

“And their titles in our tribes. It is our duty to protect our family and friends.” Misty added as she got the vines out of the legs of the panther.

Keith and Lance now knew the struggle of a life from a Mage. They had to do their responsibilities early on to carry out their parent’s duties and finish what they had started. Kaela was trained in darkness and in hate by Zarkon, trained to be a killer and was manipulated to kill her loved ones and suffered a great loss. Like they did. Losing their people and their parents.

“I know the Galra had destroyed our home. But we do understand that they were led into the temptation from a tyrant and a destroyer. Things must change and we need to learn how to adapt.” Suki said as she held the container.

“That’s what Kaela had said. That things needs to change and learning how to adapt.” Keith said, remembering those words that Kaela had told him years ago.

“Wise words from your sister. We will save her and then defeat Adelram.” Misty smiled at the two Paladins.

Then beeping was heard as Lance answered the call. His smile brightened up, seeing it is from Pidge. “Hey, Katie, what’s up? Did you find it?” Lance asked.

“Yeah, we did find most of it, actually. And um, we found her. We found Kaela.” Pidge replied as she looked at Kaela who was laying down on a table on the back of the Blue Lion. “And we are in the Blue Lion.”

Lance’s eyes widened, much to the others concern. He knew if he does mention Kaela. Keith will definitely be looking for her straight away. “Uh, and we got the venom. It’s with us!” Lance said nervously as Keith walked towards him with a glare on his face.

He glared back at him, knowing that they ended up in another fight. But realised he doesn’t want to escalate the fight between them. “Is Kaela unconscious?” Lance asked as his eyes narrowed at Keith with the two Mage Princesses looked at the two with concern.

“Yeah, she is. She was knocked out cold during the fight.” Pidge replied, also hearing Lance sounded so angry at the moment and quickly connected the dots, Keith was there.

Lance ended the call and looked into Keith’s eyes. “Keith, we will help her. Trust us. Trust them! They can help!”

“What if she’s not really the Kaela we know?! She destroyed the Atlas! She nearly killed us! She almost got you, Hunk and Pidge dead!” Keith exclaimed angrily and that was the first time he had seen Keith had snapped.

“And she wanted me dead!” Keith shouted with his hands going through his hair. “She wanted me dead. She wants me dead. I heard her last thought when our connection to each other was broken.”

Lance stood quiet and in disbelief, hearing that Kaela wanted him dead. His own little sister wanted him dead. Suki and Misty stood in silence, hearing the shocking news from Keith. Adelram had done his first part of the plan. It is to separate the two siblings and have Adelram mend his bond with Kaela.

“Keith, we will help her. I know that somewhere in her heart she never wanted you dead. Let’s go to the Castle of Lions and then get that spell working. So that we can bring her home.” Lance said, putting his hand on his shoulder.

(~)

The Mages, Keith and Lance went back to the Castle of Lions. They all waited in the hangars for the Blue Lion. They heard a roar from the distance and the Lion appeared and landed in front of them with the Mages and Gaius looking in awe. Seeing the wonderous mechanical Voltron Lion in front of them. Thinking it was a legend.

Keith immediately went inside the Blue Lion and saw Kaela laying down peacefully. He looked at her and saw a bruise on her head where she bumped her head. He looked over at Allura who came to him and held his hand before Keith carries her out of the Blue Lion.

James and the rest of the MFEs came into the hangars and saw white-haired Kaela in Keith’s arms. James immediately went to her aid and saw she was cuffed. Acxa ran into the hangars and saw her best friend in her corrupted form for the first time.

The Paladins placed her in an isolated cell down below the Castle of Lions. James never take his eyes off of her since she came into the Castle. The Mages were all looking through the ingredients, making sure they didn’t miss a vital piece.

“Ash, are you sure you didn’t miss anything?” Ares asked while Ash was growling, ready to punch him on the head.

“For the third time, I’m checking!” Ash exclaimed angrily at her childhood friend who was glaring back at her.

“Guys, calm down. We just need a hair strand from the two siblings. Keith, we need yours.” Suki said.

Allura plucked Keith’s hair. “Ow, Allura!” Keith winced in pain.

“Sorry, darling.” Allura apologised as she given Suki the hair strand. While they all looked at Kaela, they all knew getting a hair strand from Kaela was very hard. James knew that all of the Paladins are shaken up to be near her.

“Don’t worry. I’ll do it.” James volunteered.

“Are you certain?” Apollo asked.

James nodded and went inside the cell, looking at Kaela who was laying down on a makeshift bed. He sat on the edge of the bed and then held her up in his arms, while trying to get a hair strand. He held her hand gently with the others watching, while listening to her steady breathing. He could smell the smell of a plumberry flower from her. She grunted a little from him plucking her hair. He set her down and then looked at her pale white skin and white-silvery hair. It was soft and silky when he touched it.

Once he got her hair strand, he gave it to Suki who smiled softly at him. James looked back at Kaela in the cell. He was still worried about her and doesn’t know when she’ll wake up.

“Great, we all have the ingredients. But we need to find a suitable place to do the spell.” Suki said.

“Alright, I’ll ask Coran to find the nearest planet to stay in for a while.” Shiro said as he went to the elevator. Lance and Pidge both walked behind Shiro with Allura following the couple while looking back at her fiancé.

He was still looking at Kaela who still laid on the bed peacefully. She also saw that James was also staying behind. She let the boys have a few moments to stay here. She’d understand how they felt about this complicated and dark situation.

James stood with his and her locket in his hands with the purple crystals. He still kept it. He made a promise to Kaela that he always look after it. He looked over at Keith who looked away from her body and then walked towards the elevator.

James looked between the siblings, one was trapped in a cell but was placed in the light and one was walking into the darkness in the elevator, going back up in the bridge. He could see that there will be bloodshed between the two siblings, though he was taught by Kaela to have hope in darkest times.

(~)

Lance was in the hangars looking at the Blue Lion with a nostalgia smile. He remember the day they all had found it. It was the start of their adventures as Paladins of Voltron. They had shared many heart-warming memories along with the hard and unforgettable memories. But all what’s worth is finding yourself a family.

“There you are, Sharpshooter. We were looking for you.” Pidge called out to her boyfriend.

Lance turned to see his girlfriend was with Hunk. They were also looking at the Lion. They remembered all of their precious memories as Paladins of Voltron. “It has been a long time since we’ve seen one of them.” Pidge said with a smile.

“Yeah, remember when you were flying the Blue Lion and then an Altean wormhole appeared in front of us while flying away from the Galra ship? Huh, brings back a lot of memories.” Hunk chuckled.

Then Pidge raised an eyebrow at Hunk who gave her a confused look. “What?”

“Nothing. This has been bugging all these years. I mean, none of us are Altean and the first Castle of Lions detected us when we don’t have Altean DNA.” Pidge pointed.

“Meaning that Castle only detected an Altean with us. That’s impossible.” Hunk said. Lance was thinking back, and it was true. None of them were Altean. None of them weren’t. 

“Well, Keith did detect the Blue Lions energy all on his own in the desert.” Lance said. “And we did talk about this before, remember? When we all thought that Keith was Altean?”

The trio thought back at the day when they were talking about being in the Blue Lion and entering the Castle of Lions, even though they weren’t Altean.

(~)

_Lance was watching Kaela was lifting the rocks with her powers in a meditating form outside of the Castle with Shiro watching with a proud smile. “Hey, guys, have you ever do wondered how we really entered the Castle without having Altean DNA in us?” Pidge asked from her spot as she looked at the screen._

_“Yeah, that bugged me too. What if one of us was really Altean?” Hunk asked. “I mean, it must’ve traced over one of us who is Altean, right?”_

_“I don’t know, Hunk. The only Alteans we have seen was Allura, Coran and that crazy witch.” Lance said._

_“And the only aliens we are friends with are some Galra, the rebels and Kaela. Well, considering she is part Galra just like Keith.” Pidge said._

_“Yeah, she is a Mage as well. Do you think Keith has the same powers?” Lance asked with curiosity._

_“I don’t think so. Remember Kaela is the reincarnated mage Princess. Maybe she didn’t inherit her powers when she was born.” Pidge said. “Besides, reincarnation doesn’t exist.”_

_“If you think about it, with Kaela having Mage craft in her and Keith is related to her, he must’ve have magic in him that he doesn’t know about.” Hunk suggested as he munched on the food._

_“Maybe. But don’t you all remember Keith feeling that energy in the desert where he lives all alone? I mean, he was really the first one to notice anything related to the Lions. And Kaela said so herself she can sometimes communicate with the Lions in her head.” Lance said._

_“Then that would mean……” Hunk trailed off as they all heard Allura walking by, also hearing their conversation._

_“I know you have told me this story about the Blue Lion taking you all to planet Arus. But I have always assumed that, it were only true. I’ve always assumed it was Blue who opened it. What if it was really the one who opened the wormhole was…Keith?” Allura asked._

_“Yeah, yeah, maybe he could be. And the Castle didn’t suspect us from the start or anything or otherwise the Castle would go on lockdown after scanning all five of us.” Pidge said as she looked at Allura._

_“But still, this place just accepted all five strangers which is us, right away.” Lance added as they all looked at Allura._

_“Could it be…. Could it be that the Castle of Lions detected and recognised Keith’s Altean DNA inside of him?” Allura asked with hope detected in her voice._


	10. Dark and Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Adelram’s power grows, Serene, his mother desperately warns him the risks in becoming a Dark Mage. Kaela is still stuck in the darkness and was struggling to get Adelram out of her head to ease the pain, seeing herself going deep into the darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry everyone for taking a very, very long time to make another chapter. 
> 
> College has been very hard nowadays for me. But i managed to finish this chapter. So enjoy reading! 
> 
> And as always, comment and give feedback so i could improve in the future.

Adelram looked at the big hole in the water tribe lake. He narrowed his eyes at the deep hole and heard the soft whispers from the Water Tribes. He growled, knowing what it was. He looked up in the sky and then turned to the villagers.

“Now, now, there is no need to panic. I shall handle this.” Adelram assured them. “Please, go on with your duties.”

The people complied and moved on with their work. Also wondering why there was a big hole from the lake. Adelram looked back at the hole as he stroked his chin and one of his guards came and whispered something in his ear. The dark Mage’s eyes widened slowly as his fists clenched tightly.

“What? They are what?!” Adelram hissed angrily as he flew away from his guards and returned to his mansion.

(~)

In the Castle of Lions, Allura was looking on a footage of Kaela, awaken from her unconsciousness, trying her hardest to get out of the cell. She winced as she heard her yelling in frustration. She was truly worried about her friend. If only there was something to help her.

“Allura, we will help her.” Pidge assured her.

Allura nodded silently as she sighed and rubbed her eyes. “I know. It’s just…. I have never seen her like this before. So lost, so filled with rage. This is not the Kaela we all do know.”

“Adelram did something to her.” Keith appeared in the bridge and walked towards the girls. “I also heard her last thought before our connection was broken.”

“What did she say?” Pidge asked worriedly as she clasped her hands together with Allura looking at her fiancé in concern.

“She wanted me dead. She wanted _me_ , her own brother dead.” Keith replied as he exhaled as he rubbed his eyes tiredly.

“Keith, maybe she wants Adelram dead and not you?” Allura suggested. “Perhaps, the real Kaela was clearly still in there. In that cave, she didn’t try and kill us.”

“But still, she is in the Castle. She’ll try and kill us when she’s got the chance, Allura.” Keith said as he pointed at the screens that Allura had put aside. “She is still under Adelram’s control and letting her get us in danger. We still need to be more careful around.”

“Keith, please, calm down. We are doing the best we can to try and help her. That is why the Mages are here. They are here to help us to save her.” Allura reasoned with him gently. Keith breathed out shakily as he looked away from Allura who looked down on the floor, also still felt hopeless when she was trying to help Kaela. Pidge was holding onto her pendant that she had given her and felt the warmth from her is dying. It’s like we are losing her. She might be dying in the inside.

(~)

Inside in the darkness, Kaela had woken up with water dripping. She looked into the light in the eternal darkness. She stood up and saw her wearing a white dress. She panted panickily, seeing she is in the darkness with no one with her. She felt she was suffocating.

She realised that Adelram had trapped her mind to prevent her not having contact with anyone. She has no one with her. Adelram had broken her link with her brother. “You are a despicable man I have ever met, Adelram.” Kaela snarled.

“Ahh, yes but everyone still believes that I am the good guy here. No one will hear you except they see you as a monster. Thanks to me.” Adelram slyly smiled as he appeared from behind her and stroke her hair.

Kaela growled and tried to punch him in the face. She missed and stumbled on her feet as she fell down on the ground as water started to drip on her. She looked at Adelram who held a totem in his hand. “No…”

“Oh? So you do know what this is. Good.” Adelram grinned and chuckled evilly. Kaela looked at the totem, shaking and trembling in fear. “In this darkest part of your mind, you will see all of your darkest fears. And if you try to gain control of your body, I’ll have control of your body and kill the Paladins.”

Kaela shook her head as she tries to get the totem from him. If he breaks it, she’ll die. She will die and she’ll never see Keith, her mother, James and the Paladins ever again. or anyone who she cares for in the entire Voltron Coalition. Her soul will be lost forever. She turned around to see that Adelram had disappeared. She looked around and saw fire engulfing around her. She coughed violently as fire took over the darkness.

Voices can be heard in a tornado of fire while she was losing oxygen. She gasped for air while looking seeing all kinds of shapes in the fire. She heard voices that she recognised, and it was James. She immediately reached for him, but he disappeared from her sight.

The fire disappeared as well and then she heard voices from behind her. She raised an eyebrow and saw her full corrupted state killing the paladins. She saw the blood that was submerging with the water. She screamed in horror as she watched her corrupted state torturing James. She closed her eyes tightly as she had her hands on her head. Trying her best not to hear the screams of horror and terror.

“No! No!” Kaela cried.

She felt the wind blowing in the darkness and opened her eyes, seeing herself cornered the paladins and was taking Shiro’s mana out of him. he was grunting in pain as his skin turned pale and she dropped his motionless body on the ground.

Her darkest corrupted self was absorbing her friends and family. Kaela whimpered in fear as she stood up and tried to run away from the sight but, someone held her wrist and she turned seeing James. “Jim?”

“You did this! Why?” James demanded angrily.

“N-No! I didn’t do this. Please, Jim. I didn’t do this!” Kaela pleaded desperately as she held on his hand, but he slapped her hand away.

“No, you left us for good. You left us to be slaves!” James exclaimed furiously.

Kaela gasped softly as she heard ragged breathing from behind her and she does not wish to turn around. “You are a monster. You killed thousands. You have killed everyone you loved!” Lance exclaimed.

The young Mage turned around to see everyone she cares about were all surrounding her. She saw her own brother hitting her on the face and she fell down on the ground, also hearing overlapping voices. She curled, hugging herself, avoiding the voices she had heard. Keith grabbed her by the wrists and burned them. She screamed in pain as she tried to break free by freezing her brother’s hands as they shattered.

Allura went to his side and saw his hands were frozen. She turned to Kaela with a glare as she grabbed his blade and swung it around. Kaela blocked every swing until a grappling hook hit her on the face. She turned to see Pidge was holding an injured Lance in her arms. “L-Lance...”

“You don’t get any closer. Y-you betrayed us!” Pidge exclaimed with tears rolling down her eyes.

Kaela shakes her head in disbelief. This is all of her fears trying to get her lose her sanity. She looked around and tried to find a way to get all these fears disappear. She can’t bear to lose all of the people she cares about. She saw corrupted self had killed the Blades including her mother. She trembled with tears rolling down her eyes.

(~)

Adelram let go of the totem and chuckled evilly as he closed the cupboard. “Sleep tight, my dying flower.” Then his moment was interrupted when the doors were forced opened. “WHAT?!”

“My lord, some villagers know what it is.” said one of the guards.

Adelram’s eyes widened and grabbed his spear and pointed it at the guards with his eyes glowing bright red as he stared deep into their souls until they wavered in fear and kneeled down on their knees. Adelram could hear their thoughts as his eye twitched and held onto his spear tightly as he cut off their heads in a fit of rage.

He panted panickily as if he was suffocating inside the mansion. In there, he saw light in the mansion. Everywhere he goes, the light always follows him. He walked away from the light until he saw the soul of his own mother standing in his way.

“Mother?”

“Adelram, what have you done?” Serene asked.

The Dark Mage Prince stood motionlessly as he looked straight in his mother’s eyes. She looked at him with great concern. Seeing him slowly turning into a dark mage. She reached out for him, but he moved away from her. “Don’t! Don’t touch me!” Adelram shouted as all of the candles were put out in all over mansion.

“My son, you have consumed too much of dark magic. It is too much for you to take.” Serene warned her son.

“Like how you consumed dark magic in your days? Mother, you almost lost died absorbing dark magic. And you nearly lost the ability to have children.” Adelram said as he glared at his mother. “Now that I have dark magic within me, I can finally have my revenge on the Galra for destroying out home.”

“Adelram, please, do not use this kind of power. What will the people think of you using dark magic?” Serene asked.

“They’ll never know, Mother, that is why, Kaela is exactly who I need to cover for me. She is more powerful than you.” Adelram exclaimed as he walked in the empty halls.

“She is far unexperienced in using dark magic as I…. I learned dark magic in order to save our people and my family. If you push her to absorb more dark mana, she’ll ended up losing her sight of everything or losing the ability to have children.” Serene pointed out.

“Well, you did had me and Dandelion and then after that you decided to learn the dark arts magic. You lost the ability of having children after discovering the risks. You also nearly lose your sight.” Adelram reminded his mother. “I know the risks! Losing the ability to see, having children and losing your voice. But no! You cheated death!”

Serene gasped softly, watching him turn his back on her and then grabbed his wrist tightly. “Adel, listen to me. You will lose your title and your planet.”

Adelram pulled his wrist away from his mother and narrowed his eyes. “Well, I will still use this power to save our people. I will finish what we have started.”

Serene shook her head in disappointment and then walked away as she disappear from his sight while Adelram threw his spear at the tapestry on the wall. It was the tapestry of his family. He gasped when he saw the image of his mother, father and younger sister. He roared as he tore it down and burned it down onto the marbled floor with his dark red eyes glowing.

(~)

Kaela was laying down on the floor in the darkness with her tears were still flowing down her cheeks. She felt numb. Empty and alone. She cried all she can seeing that she was alone again. Struck by the darkness. Her teared eyes trailed over her arms and saw runes appearing one by one.

Then a hand appeared and stroked her long raven hair. It was a warm feeling, just like how her mother did in a short time while in space. “Now… I know it felt. Having so much dark magic inside of you.” Kaela said quietly.

“Now that you have known the risks. You are now the second Pure and Dark Mage as I was the first. I had so many choices that I had to make when I was learning dark magic. I was needed to save my family and the tribes.” Serene said softly while stroking her hair, like she was her child.

“I… I don’t know if anyone would trust me if I get out of your son’s corruption spell. I don’t know if my family would accept me again.” Kaela said, sitting up and looked at Serene who was sitting in front of her.

“In time, it will tell. Whenever you have decided you can trust yourself with this magic, then you’ll know what to do.” Serene said.

Kaela looked away from her and looked down at her arms. She saw her runes are all there in her normal form. She was thinking of the visions she had seen along with sacrificing herself. She had seen other visions that yet to happen. She now realises what her future-self had meant.

“You know what you have decided long time ago, didn’t you?” Serene asked, looking at the reaction from the young mage. She knew this was hard for her. As an unexperienced and not fully trained mage, it is difficult to make the hardest decisions.

Kaela looked at her and said. “I think you already know the answer.”

Serene nodded in understanding as she sadly smiled. She held her hands tightly in hers and then looked into her eyes. She gave her a smile of confidence and pride as she teared up, seeing herself in Kaela. She is truly her reincarnation. Both have people they do care about, same point of views in keeping the balance of peace.

(~)

In her cell room, a corrupted Kaela opened her eyes and panted softly with sweat on her forehead. She looked down at her arms and then saw a rune appearing. She raised an eyebrow as she felt pure energy inside of her. Then she got a flash in her head, seeing her memories of happiness and joy in her head. She saw herself with the Paladins and one was smiling at her lovingly. That one boy was only smiling at her with love and devotion.

Kaela placed a hand on her forehead with a single tear rolling down her cheek. Felt a sting in her head and grunted in pain, hearing screaming and shouting in her head. She growled and then started to bang her head on the glass with blood dripping on the floor.

She growled wanted the pain to go away. She banged her hand repeatedly with tears rolling down her eyes. Kaela was experiencing these overwhelming and deep emotions. She also saw memories flooding in her head.

She broken down and slid down the glass window, all alone and was stuck in a darkest spell of corruption. She looked at her arms and saw the cracks were glowing and pulsing. She felt s sting in her head again and heard his voice.

 _“Kill them, sister! Do it!”_ Kaela held her head in her hands with her cracks glowing brightly and her eyes glowed deep red. She was resisting his orders and she tried to block his voice in her head.

“N-No, I won’t.” Kaela whispered.

Adelram held onto the totem in his hands, feeling all of the emotions she has been feeling deep inside. “You are still attached to the Paladins, your lover and your brother. The best way to get rid of them is too kill them!”

The totem cracked in Adelram’s hands as Kaela felt a pain in her body and she was burning inside, burning inside all over. Her power grows stronger and stronger than before. She kept hearing voices overlapping in her head and then she her eyes changed back to light purple.

She could sense that Adelram is losing some of her essence and control over her. The Dark Mage Prince grunted in frustration as he threw his spear into the wall and shoved all of his items on his table down to the floor and then panted angrily.

(~)

The Castle of Lions arrived on earth near the Garrison. Shiro stepped out of the castle and greeted Iverson with Sam. “Did you keep her contained?” Iverson asked.

“Yes, we did. But she is fighting against us while being trapped into her cell. Adelram’s taking control of her body.” Shiro replied as he turned around seeing Kaela was being cuffed and was walking with the troopers walking her inside with James looking at her. She glanced at him for a moment and then turned away as soon as he tried to go after her, but Keith stopped him before he did.

“I am sensing that something had happened?” Sam asked. They both saw Shiro didn’t answer and all of the paladins looked so worn out and broken. He frowned and saw things that gotten worse after finding Kaela was corrupted and is fighting against them.

Allura went over them. “Iverson, Sam. Do you have a room all set up for Kaela? To keep her…. contained?” She didn’t want to say the last word and never wanted to see Kaela being trapped.

“Yes, as you all instructed us to do.” Iverson replied with a slight nod.

All of the Paladins sat in the briefing room in silence with Shiro checking in with the blades and Krolia was looking at the cell room doors that leads to her daughter. Krolia stood with Kolivan who was also concerned about her. He may not spent time with her much, but he had shown that he cares for her like she is his own.

“She is strong, Krolia. She will come through.” Kolivan said, putting a hand on her shoulder in reassurance.

“I have left her once. I don’t want to lose her again. She’s my daughter. I’ll do whatever it takes to get her back.” Krolia said determinedly.

“I know. And we are doing everything we can.” Kolivan assured her, putting his hand on her shoulder.

“No! All of you are just standing around and doing nothing! We must do something. Now! Before it’s too late!” Krolia exclaimed in frustration.

Keith watched her mother stormed off the room. His fiancée convinced him to go and comfort her mother. Keith smiled at Allura while he went out of the room to see his mother was in the hallway. He took a deep breath and walked towards his mother.

“Mom, I know this is all too much for you to take, but I think the best thing that we all can do for now is to find a way to reverse the spell. Even, maybe, take her down.” Keith said softly as he can with his hand clenched his fists with all the anger, he has inside of him.

“What? And let them kill her? Let the Coalition kill her?” Krolia asked with eyes widened as she covered her mouth and breathed out shakily.

“No. They are not going k-kill her. We are just trying to find a way to help her.” Keith said reluctantly as he looked away from his mother.

Krolia sighed tiredly and covered her face with her hands. She felt hopeless and useless whenever she’s trying to save her own daughter. On the other hand, Keith felt torn in between saving his sister or he’ll have no choice but to take her down. He hopes that the reversal spell does work. He was feeling all of the emotions he had been feeling when Kaela was still under Zarkon’s control.

(~)

_Keith walked into the bridge and saw he wasn’t dreaming. His younger sister is actually in the Castle of Lions. Yet, she still ignore him. He still see that Zarkon’s lesson is instilled in her head. She glanced at him with her sharp light purple eyes and he looked into her eyes before he moved to sit in his chair._

_“I thought Paladins are supposed to be early in briefing.” Kaela thought as she crossed her arms._

_Keith looked over her and saw her standing in a similar stance as his whenever he was annoyed or irritated. “We are different compared to the Galra Empire. E- I mean, Kaela, we are different. We treat each other like family.”_

_“I don’t think attachments is really important in a war. We lose people and that’s all that Zarkon had taught me.” Kaela said as she narrowed her eyes. “That’s why I was better off alone.”_

_“You are not alone anymore. And having someone beside you is much better than being alone, Kaela.” Keith said._

_“You think there is someone out there who’ll never make me feel completely alone?” Kaela asked._

_“I think you already have a group who will never make you feel uncomfortable or alone.” Keith smiled a bit as Kaela looked at him with wonder and saw he was already irritated. The Blue Paladin had his arm wrapped around Kaela until she glared at Lance. She twisted his wrist and he yelped in pain._

_Hunk and Pidge snickered while Keith reprimanding him for his flirtatious side he was showing to Kaela. Shiro was trying to break up the upcoming argument between the two Paladins, with the two Alteans watching with big smiles on their faces._

_Kaela stood there watching how they all treat one another. It almost feel like she is truly at home. She looked over at Keith who was normally alone is interacting with the team. She noticed little things about them. She noticed that Princess Allura was looking at Keith and Lance was looking in the green paladin Pidge’s eyes without her knowing._

_She doesn’t know why she was even staying with them. but they did offered for her to stay in the Castle as long as she stays and help them until she reached to a decision on what’s her next move. But maybe… she could have this chance to have a new family away from the Empire. This was all she ever wanted if she escape from the Empire._

_Keith beckons her to join into the brief with a welcoming smile. Kaela blinked and then walked towards him slowly until the rest of the Paladins all smiled at her._

(~)

Keith knew back then she was still struggling to fit in. She was trying to. During her stay, she and himself wanted to explore the universe. And also during their mission to stop Honerva, Kaela still has been feeling unwanted and was distant after absorbing dark magic. He didn’t trust her with her powers as well.

Now that Kaela is a dark mage, he doesn’t know what to do. He knew that one thing that is to accept who she is and try to accept that she had done all of that to save them and to help others. He looked at the bracelet in his hands and he held it tightly.

“Keith, save your sister before it is too late. She had saved you all before. Now, it is your turn to save her. She needs her brother now.” Krolia said as she held his hands.

(~)

_James was pacing back and forth. He was tapping his fingers on his rifle and was pacing in his room in the Atlas. He was getting impatient until he heard beeping sound from the desk. He put the rifle down on his bed. He walked towards the desk and saw the hologram of Kaela in a purple and blue dress with her hair up in a ponytail with braids._

_“You’re late, milady.” James teased with a smile._

_“I’m sorry, Jim. Things are pretty tight here. Allura needed me as back up to seek out new allies for the Coalition.” Kaela replied with a smile._

_“Any luck in getting them to our side?” James asked._

_“Hmm, so far, it is taking a while to gain their trust. Since they don’t trust the Galra easily. They had given Keith and I some threats. Allura had to talk to them about their uncalled behaviour.” Kaela replied._

_James frowned knowing that he had given her the same treatment when she first came to Earth. But yet, she still stood for what’s right. That is the trait he most like about her. She never give up and still tries to help those who needed help and guidance._

_“Jim, is everything alright?” Kaela asked in concern._

_“It’s nothing. It’s quieter here. I just want you here that’s all.” James replied with a loving smile._

_Kaela giggled and smiled at him. “Jim, you know the others and my brother can’t know about us yet. We talked about this.”_

_“I know. It just want to talk to you more and—”_

_“Griffin, it’s time to train in the stimulations.” Kinkade called out to him through the door. James sighed tiredly and rubbed his neck._

_“I have to go.” James said with Kaela still looking at him worried. “I am currently training in the stimulations. Testing out the new ships.”_

_Kaela nodded in understanding. “I understand, but something is still bothering you. He had sent you a message to you again, didn’t he?”_

_“I don’t want to talk to that man anymore.” James said darkly and turned away from him._

_“Jim. I know you have explained everything what has happened with your father, but I think he just want to reconnect with you.” Kaela said as she touch her bracelet on her wrist._

_“What he had done is he left my mother and my little sister during the attack of the Galra invasion. I’ll never forgive him for what he had done.” James angrily said._

_Kaela frowned sadly seeing James is grieving more for his mother and sister. Also, feeling anger inside of him he has for his father. He grew resentful towards his father. He had told her about what happened during the attack while she was in space. It was a horrible experience and story to hear. He was suffering inside and out. “Jim, holding a grudge is not going to make you feel better by ignoring your own father. Sometimes, you need to give him a chance.”_

_James still didn’t talk to her until he realised, she was right and was telling him to give him a second chance. A second chance in life. “You… you really think I could give him a second chance?” James asked._

_“If you let him in and forgive him.” Kaela smiled. James smiled and then took off the glove from his hand and extended his hand out to her. They both reached out even Kaela was just a hologram through a communicator. “I’ll see you soon, Jim.”_

_“See you soon, princess.” James replied as their call ended and returned to his tasks that he needed to do._

(~)

Kaela was still laying down, unconscious and was looked after by James and Ryan at the entrance. Ryan could tell that James wanted to hold her hand and hold her in arms. “James, you can take a good closer look at her. She’s under a sleeping spell made by Mage Princess Suki.”

James looked over at his friends and nodded slightly. He gave his rifle to him and walked towards the bed where Kaela lies. She looked she is in peace and looked pale. He saw her crack runes all over her arms and she still has her Galra markings and the diamond on her forehead. He looked at her long white-silvery hair with purple tips. it was soft and silky, smelt like lavender.

He held her cold hands and caressed her cheek. With that close contact, Kaela groaned lightly and slowly opened her red-violet eyes. She gasped softly when she saw James in front of her. She gazed into his eyes and her eyes looked at him curiously, reaching out to him while he held her hand.

“W-where am I?” Kaela asked softly as she looked around.

“You’re on Earth now. We’re going to help you.” James replied softly. He also realised her voice wasn’t raspy anymore and her eyes turned back to her beautiful light purple.

“I don’t think you’ll have time to help me in this state.” Kaela said as her voice wavered. He could feel her trembling.

James was about to say something until Iverson came in the room with Sam. “Griffin, stay away from her! She’s dangerous.”

“Sir, she’s not dangerous.” James insisted as he stood his ground, seeing more of Garrison troopers coming in with stun guns.

“We are going with this with precaution. In case, she hurts…. any of us.” Iverson said as he saw Kaela was trying to stand up. He could see that she looked like a frail child who was struggling to stand on her own. Her eyes were not red anymore and they were light purple again.

He was about to speak until the Paladins came in with Krolia. They saw James was standing in front of her protectively. James was not going to let anyone go near her or hurt her. “Griffin, please stand aside.” Iverson demanded softly.

James was about to disobey the order until Kaela grabbed his wrist. Her pleading purple eyes pleaded him silently to listen to him and let them do whatever they will have to do to her. He reluctantly listened to Iverson and stepped away from her.

Kaela looked around her surroundings and then saw all of the Elemental mages appeared in front of her. She saw all of the runes and tattoos they all have on their arms. She looked at her visible cracks and white long hair.

Then she heard footsteps and ascending, saw her older brother was walking towards her. She looked at the device in his hands. It looked like a collar. That will dampen her powers so Adelram won’t get control over her.

She also saw a rune circle was made around her. Keith’s footsteps become more louder than the silence. James looked between the siblings and let Keith have a chance to talk to her. But they didn’t speak a word. Kaela looked away knowing that he doesn’t want to see her in that form. The form that Adelram had created for her.

Keith saw her looking away from him. Probably ashamed and afraid of what he’ll do to her. He looked at the collar in his hands and back at his friends. They all were concerned of what will happen to her. He inhaled slowly and then exhaled as he looked at his sister who has her eyes still closed.

Kaela was waiting for him to put the collar around her neck but instead, she felt strong and warm arms around her. She opened her teary eyes, seeing that her brother was hugging her tightly in his arms.

She tried to push him away while tears rolling down her cheeks and her sobs can be heard from the others. “P-please, I-I don’t want to hurt you.” Kaela sobbed, thinking Adelram will gain control over her body through the totem again. “I-I’m a monster!”

“I don’t want to let you go again. You are not a monster. I know you thought that I had given up when our link was broken. I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again. I promise.” Keith said as he could feel the tears in his eyes forming. He held his sister tightly, seeing that Kaela had returned to them only for a short time. He doesn’t know when Adelram might take control of her.

“I-I still hurt you all. I-I don’t deserve to face you like t-this!” Kaela cried a she held on tightly. “A-All I did was to hurt you! Like I once did before!”

“We will find a way to get you back to normal.” Keith said as he broke the hug and looked into her glassy teary eyes and wiped the tears away. “I promise you now, I would never give up on you.”

Keith pressed his forehead against her forehead with Kaela’s tears flowing down her cheeks with guilt washing over while feeling the comfort from her brother. She prayed while she was corrupted that she wouldn’t hurt her family.

Once they pulled away, Keith grabbed the collar from the floor and looked at Iverson and Shiro. All of the troopers got their stun guns. Ready to stun Kaela if she attacks. “Shiro, we have to find another way to help her. There must be another way.” Keith said as he held his sister’s hand.

Shiro looked at Kaela, also seeing that she had returned to her normal self. He looked at all of the troopers in the room, they were standing by, ready to shoot fire. He turned to the Iverson who was also having second thoughts. Thinking that they could have this chance to save her.

“We should at least try.” Shiro said to Iverson.

Iverson looked at the siblings and sighed knowing that he cannot break the bond they have. Deep inside, he wanted to help her. But the whole Coalition wants her dead. They’ll be expecting a call if they got her.

Then they all got a call from the leaders of the Coalition. They were waiting for a reply from them. James immediately went to Kaela’s side to protect her. Iverson looked at the communicator in his hands. “Make this quick.” Iverson said to the Paladins and the Mages. James let a sigh of relief as he held her hands and put his head against her head. Keith also let out a sigh of relief while the Mages moved in fast to do the reversal spell.

Far away from Earth, Adelram opened his eyes and smirked as he looked back at the totem. He grabbed it in his hands. “You think that you can return into welcome arms from your family? I don’t think the story should end like this.” Adelram said as he cracked a piece from the totem as the last light in the totem disappeared as he absorbed it inside him. “Now, dear sister. It’s time for a new awakening.”

Kaela gasped softly as she feels a sting in her head. She heard distorted voices and her vision became unclear. She felt her whole body was feeling numb and the emptiness as she closed her eyes, suddenly fell into James’s arm. He held her tightly in his arms with Allura and Pidge coming to her side. “What happened?” Allura asked, alarmed.

Adelram chuckled evilly as he flew down from the platform and landed on the roof of his ship with his Dark Mage soldiers waiting for his orders. He got out his spear and twirled it in his hand. “Take course…. To Earth.” Adelram stood in the light with the Dark entities appearing from behind him, ready to attack planet Earth.


	11. A Phoenix Flame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adelram had attacked the Garrison and the Coalition was outnumbered. The paladins and the MFEs were left stuck on an abandoned planet where Keith meets an unexpected family relative he doesn’t know or remember.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is a new chapter of VLD: White Phoenix

As the grounds shaking violently and the debris were falling down one by one. Iverson had ordered the troopers to go outside and engage with the enemy. The Blades were ready to attack Adelram’s army and his ships locked on the Garrison on heavy fire.

James held Kaela in his arms and stood behind the Paladins until the doors were jammed. Hunk and Keith tried to pry it open while Pidge tried to hack into the system. But it was working. Nothing was working! “He must’ve hacked into the systems as well!” Pidge exclaimed.

“We need to get out of here.” Lance said as he felt Hunk grabbing onto him.

“OH! What do we do?” Hunk asked worriedly as he held onto to Lance.

“We must get out of here.” Allura said as the ground shakes. Allura looked back at James who was holding Kaela in his arms. Suddenly, one of her runes starting to appear again. She saw her waking up in his arms.

James caressed both of her cheeks. “Ella? Ella, I’m here. I’m here. We’re here.” Kaela looked around her and saw everyone and herself was trapped in the room. She felt a dark presence here and a Lion calling out to her.

Keith went to his sister’s side and saw those light purple eyes again. She was still in her normal state and her red glowing cracks are coming back. “Adelram… he is still after you. We need to get you away. As far away as we can.” Keith said to his sister.

“No… No matter where I am, he’ll find me.” Kaela said as she held his hand tightly in hers.

“She’s right. You said that your link is broken. That means, Adelram has bonded himself with Kaela. They can sense each other through mind link.” Pidge said.

“Then what do we do?” James asked.

(~)

Adelram watched as his dark entities destroying all of the Earth defence systems and every Galra and Earth ships and vessels in the air. He smiled wickedly as he held his spear in hand. He sensed a faint pure magic within the Garrison walls.

“Oh, dear sister, you are running out of time.” Adelram chuckled. “Ahh, finally the Mages have arrived!” Adelram jumped off from his ship and swung his spear at them. Ash and Ares came flying after him, unleashing their powers at them. Ares used his fire powers to trap him inside as the Dark Mage Prince was suffocating in a fire tornado.

He grunted as he spun his spear around as he summoned dark clouds and thunder from the skies as the sun was being blocked. Ash now can’t use her powers and turned the thunder clapped with rain coming down on them. Then a bolt of thunder came coming down on the two with Suki creating a shield around them.

Misty levitated rocks and threw them at Adelram who cut them in half as he growled in anger, seeing all of his friends are against him now, knowing the truth of what he had done. He heard Apollo from behind him and charging at him with a loud ferocious roar as fire coming out from his mouth with the dark entities capturing him. “Apollo! Let him go!” Misty exclaimed angrily as she punched him in the face.

In the Garrison, dark mages had extracted all of the people’s mana energy and quintessence in everyone. The MFEs managed to get the Paladins, James and Kaela out of the room with the Dark mages after them.

James helped Kaela up in his arms as she felt a sharp sting in her head. Feeling the pain from Adelram. She knew that he had mended their bond together. She could see some of his childhood memories and sensed all of his emotions.

“They won’t just give up!” Lance exclaimed as he shot at the Dark mages with his bayard. Hunk provided as back up as he cried out, shooting with his cannon. he was desperate to keep his friend safe away from the Dark Prince.

Kaela hissed as she felt a pained throb in her head with voices and screams were muffled. She felt James was holding her in his arms. She opened her hand and her hand was glowing deep red as she hissed in pain. She was writing something in her palm, and it was the same symbol that she had wrote on Keith’s hand.

She stood up straight as she lifted her hand as a pure light appeared as the Dark Mages squinted their eyes to the light, giving them a chance to escape from them. They all ran and ran away from them they went to the hangar bays where the Blue Lion was. It was already standing in front of them and moving.

“Uh, Allura, why is your Lion moving?” Pidge asked.

“I do not know, Katie. But I think she is sensing another Lion nearby.” Allura replied.

Hunk and Lance screamed at the top of their lungs seeing more entities coming their way until walls from the hallways trapped them. They all looked at Kaela who was using her powers to trap them with her dark magic. She grunted softly with her cracks glowing and pulsing.

“Ella, that’s enough. Don’t use too much of your energy.” Keith said to her softly as he put down her arms.

“Sorry, felt that I needed to do that.” Kaela panted tiredly.

“She is weakening. That means Adelram is using her powers as well. Summoning a mage from the dead may be against the law but taking someone else’s power… he had gone too far.” Allura said.

“He had drained more people back in Zelza. But they are all alive. The only person who he killed is Mage Princess Ash’s father. Also, is Gaius here?” Kaela asked.

“Yeah, he is with the Mages fighting Adelram.” Hunk answered her question.

“He is working alongside Adelram this whole time.” Kaela said as everyone looked on in shock and Lance just dropped his bayard on the floor as he looked at his partner with a frown.

“I knew there was something going with that guy.” Lance growled.

“Guys, less talking, more fighting!” Nadia exclaimed as she kept on shooting at the entities. James went to assist them with the Paladins not knowing what to do since Allura’s Lion won’t let them in as the hangar bay doors won’t open.

“What do we do?!” Hunk exclaimed.

“We should fight back, right, Keith?” Lance turned to his leader who was holding his sister and helping her to stand up straight.

“These are entities and Dark Mages we are fighting against, Lance! There’s nothing we can do.” Keith replied.

“There must be something we could do.” Allura said with Pidge standing close by her side as the debris were falling down on them, everyone took cover. Kaela tried to make a shield until she felt another pure essence nearby and then looked at the hangar doors and saw it was pried opened and appeared the Yellow Lion. It roared loudly and went to find its Paladin.

Hunk gasped happily as he went inside his Lion’s mouth and piloted it to save his friends. The Blue Lion responded and let Allura in with Pidge. Then they all felt the ground was shaking again. James looked from outside and saw some cables from above. “This place is about to go into the air!” James cried out to the others.

“He must be after the Lions.” Kaela said.

“Then we have to get out of here.” Lance said. “Kinkade, Rizavi, Liefsdottier, get into the Yellow Lion. The rest of us will be in the Blue Lion.” Their plans to escape the hangar wasn’t all they had planned out. The room inside was closing in on them.

Pidge held onto Lance’s arm with Allura holding Keith’s hand tightly. “Guys, we better move!” Hunk exclaimed. I don’t wanna be the entities next meal!”

Then Kaela screamed in pain hearing Adelram’s thoughts inside her head. She saw the Mages were still fighting Adelram. She also heard him ordering his men to open up a portal back to Zelza with the crystal they had collected. “He’s got the crystal we had found a year ago.” Kaela said to the group with James wrapping an arm around her. “That’s why he is taking this whole place.”

Hunk tried to get the walls down, but nothing was working. Allura helped him in her Lion and tried with all of the power she has got in her Lion. “Still can’t get this wall down. Keith!” Allura called out to her fiancée. Keith was having trouble in trying to find a solution to all of this. They are trapped. The Garrison is in the sky and Adelram taking them back in Zelza.

He turned to his sister who was in James’s arms. She looked at the wall and stood up on her wobbly legs. She raised her arms up and created a giant fireball and shoot it at the wall, big enough for the Lions to fit. “You guys go. He is also after Alteans. Which means, he’ll want Allura’s quintessence. And he is still hunting down for Mages. Keith has mana inside him, but it is faint. He’ll be after you and you need to get out of here.”

“No, we won’t leave you here with that monster.” James caressed her face and pleaded her. “Just come back to us and then we’ll figure this out together.”

“I’ll try to occupy him as long as I can in my weakened state. Long enough for you all to escape from him.” Kaela said with a weak assuring smile.

Then the doors of the hangars were forced opened as Adelram walked inside as he swung his spear around. “Hello, dear sister, found you at last.” Adelram cackled as lightning came from his fingertips as Kaela created a shield in front of them, so her friends can be protected. He growled in anger as he send all of the debris to break down the shield with all his power.

“No matter where I am or where you take me. He’ll always find a way to find me. You have to go.” Kaela warned as the Lions flown out, but the Blue Lion was waiting on for Keith and James.

“Keith, Griffin, we must go.” Allura called out to the boys. Keith looked at his sister once more as she levitated him inside the Blue Lion while he shouted out her name. Kaela turned to James who looked at her with a crestfallen expression on his face.

The shield was breaking with fire coming their way with Kaela made her own fire tornado with James to protect them from being burnt. “Go, Jim. I’ll be okay. We did promised each other.” Kaela said as she caressed his cheeks.

He leaned into the touch as he looked in her light purple eyes. “I don’t know what I’ll do when I fight against you.”

“Then do what it is means necessary.” Kaela replied as she leaned for a kiss and closed her eyes with a single tear rolling down her cheek. Feeling the warmth from his lips and his arms secured around her. James wrapped his arms around her tightly with the fire around them as it died down.

Kaela pushed him into the Blue Lion while it was flying out of the hangar bay with the Garrison now in the air. She turned around and faced Adelram herself. They both clashed against each other with their powers with the Paladins watching.

Adelram charged in and grabbed her neck, choking her as he lifted her in the air. “You have been a bad sister. Now, you shall watch them die!” Adelram set her down and put a charm necklace around her that will keep her from escaping. “And don’t ever do thinking of escaping from this nightmare. This is where you belong.”

“Kill the Paladins.” Adelram ordered his entities as they flew after the Paladins in their Lions.

“NO!” Kaela shouted as she saw a wormhole had appeared and the Lions went through in time with the entities stopping in their tracks as Adelram’s eye twitched and shouted out in anger.

(~)

The two Lions went out of the wormhole, only to find out they were sent to a different planet away from Earth. “Where did that wormhole come from? Did you do that Allura?” Pidge asked her friend as her face on the screen appeared.

“No, I did not Katie.” Allura replied, so confused as she was.

“And another good question, where exactly are?” Kinkade asked as he looked through the window. Seeing that there are glowing leaves on the tree branches. The planet they landed seemed to be abandoned but still there was sign of life.

They all walked out of the Lions and set their foot on the planet with Pidge checking if the atmosphere is alright for them to breathe. “Well, it is pretty normal for us to breath in here.” Pidge said as she took off her helmet with her small ponytail falling out.

“Good. Cause I need a breather. What happened out there? Did you get Kaela?” Lance asked as he walked towards the Blue Lion only just to see that Allura, Keith and James walked out of the Lion. His face hardened and his blood inside of him started to boil.

“W-Where is Kae? Where is she?” Lance demanded as he looked for Kaela, seeing that she was not with them in the Blue Lion.

Allura didn’t look at him and she looked down at the grass below her with James walking up to him, trying to calm him down. “McClain, she gave us a head start to let us escape. You were there, you saw it. You were there.”

“Look, all I saw is that she pushed you into the Blue Lion to get away. I saw it with my own two eyes. We left her behind! You left her behind!” Lance shouted.

“We didn’t leave her behind, Lance! She saved us from being captured by Adelram!” Keith exclaimed as he clenched his fists as the grass glowed for a moment around them. Surprising the Paladins and the MFEs.

“What was that?” Pidge asked.

“The grass just glowed. What is this planet?” Allura wondered as they all looked at the planet and the mountains up above. Then it started to rain as they all took cover in a cave.

(~)

Back in Zelza, Adelram walked along the staircase as he opened the door until he saw a glass cup being thrown at him. “Oh please, you can do so much better than that.” Adelram said as he sighed looking at the broken piece of a cup.

“You will never touch me, Adel. How could you! You are their Prince! You’re my fiancé and you are doing all of this destruction!” Mizuki exclaimed in anger as she tried to get out of the cuffs.

“Well, all I am doing is for our planet. The Galra destroyed our home, my love. They will pay the prize. They have killed our family!” Adelram exclaimed in anger with Mizuki looking away from him. She couldn’t believe that she fell in love with a monster. A killer! She doesn’t want to look at him now.

“Mizuki, I have dedicated my life to search far and wide to find the purest quintessence as an access for me to gain the Dark Magic arts.” Adelram explained. “To gain power that is. My mother had done it before. Many, many years ago.”

“But she didn’t tempt herself to use it. She had no choice to use those powers. She did that to save us. Not to destroy the Galra.” Mizuki said as she clenched her fists.

“The Galra destroyed everything we all have ever known. And…. I WILL ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING MY OWN MOTHER WOULD HAVE DONE!” Adelram shouted as Mizuki shuddered in place, looking through his red glowing eyes.

(~)

The Paladins and the MFEs walked along the foot path with the glowing trees, bushes, grass and all of the leaves were glowing in the darkest night of the land on the planet. They saw all of the glowing birds flying in the sky with Allura looking at the creatures in the night sky with Keith feeling the aura around the place. Around the forest, he could feel the energy of the planet and the animals.

“This place is amazing!” Pidge gasped as a flower popped out and a butterfly appeared, flying away from her.

“Kinkade, get this on your documentary.” Rizavi grinned as she looked down in the river and saw glowing fish swimming in the water.

Liefsdottier wondered about in the forest until she saw something not far from where they are. “Everyone, I can see a house from here.”

They all looked up and saw an abandoned house in the middle of the forest with the water rushing in a waterfall with a white flightless bird screeching and flew away as soon as it saw the Paladins and the MFEs.

“That’s an Ikri. A flying Phoenix. Most trusted ally of all Mages.” Allura gasped in wonder. “I thought they were extinct.”

“Well, Coran did say that Serene put a protective barrier around her planet. Maybe, she protected the other planets as well.” Pidge said as she looked at the creature that was flying away. “To let other animals to live.”

“So, who lives here?” Hunk asked. “A hunted mage?” He hid behind Lance and Pidge, shuddering and shaking with fear.

Keith moved forward to open the door and there was some spider webs everywhere with James lighting up a lighter that Kaela had given him. They all walked inside the empty and dark and cold house. Carefully as they stepped in, the floor creaked as everyone looked at Hunk who smiled sheepishly.

“So, who exactly did live here?” James asked as he lowered the lighter and saw books and papers everywhere. He also looked up in the ceiling and saw crystals on the chandelier, similar to the ones that Kaela had.

“Those crystals are like the ones that Kaela has.” James noted as Keith looked around the house and it looked familiar to his shack on Earth. The one that he and his father had built in the desert. He also looked at decorations on the walls and the art on the walls looked like how Kaela painting her artwork in the Castle of Lions and in the Atlas.

“These artwork looks like Kaela’s.” Lance hummed thoughtfully as he held on the paper until it turned into dust in his hands. He looked at his best friend and his girlfriend who were giving him a glare while he smiled sheepishly.

“These books… they are of Zelzan language.” Allura said as she grabbed one book from the shelves.

“And these books are in English. In our language.” Kinkade noted as Keith looked over the books and saw one book in particular that Kaela reads as a child. It was her favourite book she loved reading during bedtime.

“Who lives here anyway?” Rizavi asked as she looked around the house with Liefsdottier by her side. 

Curiously, Allura looked over at Keith who was looking out of the window with the rain pouring down. She walked towards him and held his hand. He glanced at her with a gentle smile and kissed her forehead.

“We can rest here for the night. We’ll think of another way to get to Kaela.” Keith said as everyone settled down in the old cottage with Keith still looking around the house. The place to him seemed like a distant memory.

A memory he had forgotten. A memory from his past. He looked at all of the craftwork in the house and saw the picture frames are similar to the ones on Earth. He also saw a shack in the middle of the desert. He heard footsteps from the stairs and saw Lance standing there with a hardened expression. “Keith, we just can’t sit here and do nothing. We have to help her.”

“I know, Lance. We are just figuring things out. Sometimes we have to be patient and look for a new method on how to resolve this.” Keith convinced him to settle down.

“I can’t wait here patiently knowing Kaela is being tortured by Adelram. He is using her and getting all of her powers. Possibly killing her.” Lance argued.

“Lance, I am doing everything I can to try and think of a way to save her.” Keith sighed tiredly as he rubbed his eyes.

Lance growled underneath his breath and stormed down the stairs. “Lance, where are you going?” Keith asked, following him down the stairs as he watched him putting on his helmet.

“I’m going after her.” Lance replied gruffly with James stopping him by the door with a hardened expression on his face while holding his rifle. Lance could see Kaela’s necklace was tied up on his handle.

“Come on, McClain cool off. We need to do this together.” James said to him as the Red Paladin knocked his arm off of him.

“You don’t get to tell me what to do.” Lance growled as he walked out of the cottage. “You are not my leader.”

“Lance!” Pidge called out to her boyfriend as they both were arguing outside of the cottage In the rain. Pidge was desperately to make him calm down and tried to get Lance to listen to reason but he was more getting frustrated that they weren’t able to save their friend.

“Well, there goes a couple’s fight.” Kinkade commented as Allura nodded along with Rizavi and Leifsdottier. James sat down on a chair while looking at the lockets that was tied up on his handle. He always look at her locket seeing a sign as a good luck charm and that she’s always by his side in the battlefield. Now their luck seemed to be disappearing. Like, their hopes are fading away.

He glanced over a photo frame and rubbed out the dust from the frame and saw a young woman who looked Altean. “Your highness, I think this places… An Altean resided here.” James called out to Allura who held on the photo frame in her hands.

“But… that is impossible. I thought all of the Alteans were stuck in the Colony.” Allura whispered until she noticed she was holding a baby with one arm and was holding another child’s hand. The child look like… “Keith?”

(~)

Keith was upstairs in the attic seeing Lance and Pidge arguing through the window. He knew how much Lance cared about his sister. They both started out as rivals, then friends to partners. Kaela had taught him the things he needed to know. Now he had lost his close friend.

Then Keith turned around in the attic hearing some distant laughter in the room. He looked at the chair and thought it was familiar, seeing the decorative carvings in the chair. He took a closer look and saw there was a symbol of a fire phoenix branded on the chair seat.

He looked on the walls and the ceilings. He saw all of the drawings of the spirits of Zelza. This cottage was connected to the Mages. He was struck in awe as he sat on the chair, he could hear some animals wailing, howling and roaring in the room. But he also could feel a faint energy of Altean quintessence.

Something familiar in the cottage made him try to remember the distant memories from his childhood. He glanced at the table near the window. He saw a red and purple blanket in two beds nearby the stair case and the window. He grabbed them and felt the fabric on his hands. He remembered having another family relative always visiting him, Kaela and their father. But that was a long time ago.

His eyes glanced over a snow globe on the table, he grabbed it as he shakes it in his hands with the snow falling down until he saw a purple and red crystal in the middle. He raised an eyebrow and then put the snow globe back on the table. As soon as he set down the globe, he felt a spark of electricity on his hand.

He looked at his palm and saw the rune appearing and glowed bright red. He gasped softly seeing it glowing and heard a voice in the room. He got Kaela’s blade out as it manifested into a bigger blade in his hand.

“Who’s there? Show yourself!” Keith called out to whoever is in the room. He could’ve sworn that he felt someone’s presence in the cottage.

_You have come home, my grandson_

Keith turned around to see the globe was shining brightly as the spirits appeared and the whole room had changed into a beautiful view. He was on a hill with the field of blue flowers. It was Kaela’s favourite flower. He heard a screeching sound from above him and saw flying Ikri all over the sky. He gasped softly as he had seen the Castle of Zelza in the sky as well.

“You have come, my grandson.” A voice called out to him as Keith turned around and saw an older woman standing behind him on the hill. He saw her standing there in a purple dress and a blue shawl draped on her arms. He could see a diamond on her forehead, just like Kaela.

But the only difference is that she’s Altean. _No, that can’t be… I’m Galra…_

“Grandson? That can’t be...” Keith said softly. The woman who walked towards him with a gentle smile. He could see the same eye colour as his dad’s. He still has his blade in his hand until she used her powers to turn it back into its original form.

“What? H-How did you--?”

“I am an Altean Alchemist. Just like your fiancée, my grandson.”

Keith looked at her in shook and surprise. With thoughts running through his head. He doesn’t know how this was possible. He and Kaela are part Galra. Their parents never said anything about having an Altean grandmother.

“How is this possible? My dad is human, and my mother is Galran. Also my sister.” Keith said as he saw her walking past him and picked a blue flower.

“Tell me, have you ever wondered who opened the wormhole? Or even felt the energy from Blue Lion?” Keith perked up and looked at the older woman who was holding the blue flower in her hand.

“I-I…”

“There is magic hidden inside of you. You can use those abilities to help your sister.”

“So, I’m part Galran and Altean? Are you Pop’s…?” Keith asked as his grandmother smiled warmly as she turned the flower in her hands into a blue bird and flew away from her hands.

“Yes, I am. Heath is my son. He is part Altean but looked more human. But I do love your father with all of my heart. And your mother never knew that your father, Heath was Altean. He wanted to tell your mother for so long until she had declared that she had to leave to protect you, your sister and father.”

“Why didn’t you tell my dad? Why did you leave us suddenly? I don’t remember you any of my memories. Or even Kaela doesn’t remember you at all. She was so young and had her memories altered by the Galra Empire.” Keith said.

His grandmother stood in front of him as she watched him looking at his younger sister’s blade in his hand. After her corruption, he kept her blade close to her as James had her locket tied to his rifle. Every time he wields Kaela’s blade, he thought of how she fought with bravery and resilience. He had secretly hoped he’ll be like her one day.

“Keith, my grandson, it is not too late to save your sister. You can still save your sister from Adelram. The symbol on your hand that I had given you. It is a sign of hope and light.”

(~)

Kaela was struggling to get the necklace off from her neck. She gets electrocuted numerous times by the Dark Mages. She growled in annoyance as she waved her hand up and began to choke one guard and had him pinned on the wall.

“Now, now, dear sister, that is not so nice.” Adelram scolded her.

Kaela scoffed and let the guard down as he coughed violently. She didn’t look at Adelram as she watched his shadow, watched his movements while she turns her back on him. She doesn’t want to face him. Not after everything he had done to her and to her family.

“Dear sister, I must say, I am disappointed that you had helped the Paladins to escape.” Adelram smacked his lips together as he twirled a knife in his hand. “So, I have decided to find them all by myself.”

“And how are you going to do that?” Kaela asked venomously as she looked down at her cuffs.

“Hmm… I am not going to tell you that. Since I had linked the both of us, I also felt a faint connection. You are still connected to your brother. I can use that advantage to find him.” Adelram smirked slyly.

Kaela’s eyes widened as she clenched her fists and then unleased her powers against him until she felt that she was frozen. She looked at Adelram who stood in front of the bars with a smirk, holding a totem that holds her soul.

“You don’t want to lose your soul, don’t you?” Adelram asked as he put the totem back into his red chest. He had got Kaela under his control as he stroked her white silvery hair and then grabbed it tightly while unfreezing her.

“I will get everything. I’ll take everything you have ever loved.” Adelram whispered into her ear. “Including your powers as well. Every time I see your face, you remind me of my own mother, it sickens me.”

“Your mother had loved you so dearly. Why do you keep on wanting for more power? What is the real reason?” Kaela demanded as he let her hair go and looked away from her.

“All I want is to become stronger than any other Mage! I wanted to make my own mother proud!” Adelram screamed as Kaela stood her ground, not flinching from his outburst. He was just like Lotor, misunderstood and misguided. She knows the feeling of wanting to become more stronger. The power he will get, will soon to consume him.

“Adelram, it is not too late to stop this.” Kaela said to him as she held on the bars of her cells.

“Oh, I believe it is too late to stop this.” Adelram said as he looked deeply in her eyes. “My plan will succeed. And now, I need to do one more thing to complete your corrupted form, sister.” He choked her and chanted a spell as his runes glowed brightly.

“Before I do this transformation, I’ll tell you something. Your family…. Your family doesn’t love you. They always hesitate to save you… You, a monster.” Adelram cackled evilly as Kaela’s light purple eyes were turning to red with tears forming in the corner of her eyes as they rolled down her cheeks.

Somewhere in the dungeon, Shiro and Coran could hear the screams. They could tell that it was Kaela who was being tortured by Adelram. Kolivan and Krolia were in the cell hearing her pained screams. They all prayed that she will be left alone. They heard banging on the cell bars and saw Shiro was trying to knock down the cell doors desperately. He wanted to get Kaela out of her endless nightmare.

(~)

“I never knew what your name was.” Keith said to his grandmother who smiled at him warmly.

“It is, Mireya, Keith.” Mireya smiled lovingly at her grandson. “And I have always watched you from the stars. It warms my heart to see you, your sister, and your mother reunited.”

“I hope that we could see Dad.” Keith hoped as his grandmother chuckled and held his hand.

“I already have. And he says that he is proud of you.” Mireya smiled as they both saw him walking up the hill with a proud smile.

“I am proud of you, son. Now, all you need to do is to save your sister.” Heath said. “She needs you more than ever. We cannot let that madman control her.”

“I promise I will get her back. I promise.” Keith promised as he smiled determinedly. Heath nodded and looked at his mother who nodded in understanding.

“Keith, I will give you half of my power to aid you in battle. And to help your sister.” Mireya said as she held on to his shoulders. “You have hidden Altean Alchemy inside of you. Use it wisely.” Keith nodded as he held on Kaela’s blade as he felt his grandmother’s aura flowing around them.

She caressed his face and looked at his Galra markings with a smile as they pressed their foreheads together as she closed her eyes with her Altean markings glowing brightly. Heath watched red and purple aura flowing around them. Mireya held on to her grandson’s hands and sent him back to his realm.

(~)

Keith returned back to his realm and looked down at the rune on his palm and saw it stopped glowing. He sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. He finally met his grandmother. Who is Altean! He has to tell Allura! He has to tell her.

He heard running footsteps from the stairs, and he saw her running towards him. “Keith! There’s something— Keith, y-you’re cheeks… They’re glowing.” Allura gasped in disbelief as Keith felt the warmth of his cheeks glowing.

He ran up to the window and saw he has red Altean markings on each of his cheek. He could not believe it! “Allura, I can explain.” Keith said turning to his fiancée.

“Y-You’re…. Part Altean and Part Galra? How is that possible?” Allura asked as she caressed his cheeks. She admire the colour of his Altean markings. They are fiery red, and they had stopped glowing and his markings had disappeared with Keith taking her hands in his. “Keith, what happened? How did you get those markings?”


	12. Red Paladins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As they were sent to a planet far away from Earth, Keith had learnt a shocking discovery of his bloodline while Adelram moves into his next move of his plans. Keith and Lance face off against Kaela in a heated battle as her powers grows stronger and more powerful than ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all love this final part of Kaela's story! 
> 
> I am sorry for the long, long wait. I hope you all enjoy this chapter! 
> 
> Sad news, this final part will be the last of the Paladin's appearance and i am proudly will be announcing that i will starting a new project which a spin-off that focuses on Kaela's journey with the Mages. I cannot say anything further or spoilers , so stay tuned if you want more chapters! 
> 
> Thanks! Enjoy reading!

“Allura, I c-can explain.” Keith said softly as he saw his fiancée walked towards him with her hands caressing his face. Her thumbs gently rubbing his cheeks where his Altean markings were glowing. She cannot believe it! Keith is also Part Altean.

“Keith… How did this happen?” Allura asked softly with Keith holding her hands.

“I met her. I met my grandmother. And she’s… She’s Altean.” Keith said as Allura gasped softly and covered her mouth in shook. “I-I know it’s shocking, but we can talk about this later.”

“Your grandmother is Altean? How can that be possible?” Allura asked in shock

“She didn’t tell me everything.” Keith replied to her as he inhaled and exhaled shakily. “Who are um…?”

“They are still arguing. We need to get out of this planet and save Kaela.” Allura replied. “We need to save your sister.” Keith nodded as he looked at the snow globe and it stopped snowing inside thinking that his grandmother’s mana energy was gone.

(~)

Adelram was looking at the throne room and saw that everything was set in place. Well, almost everything. He walked up at the stairs and he stared at the golden throne. He tilted his head and remembered the good old memories. He remembered running around the throne room with his childhood friends, playing with his younger sister. Oh, how much he loved playing with his sister.

His sister always would ask for help from him and ask him if he was available to play with him. he could hear laughter echoing in the room. Adelram missed his sister dearly and loved her so much. He looked down in his hands holding a crown that once belonged to his younger sister. If she were alive, she would be the same age as Kaela.

“You know, she would have been the same age as you are now.” Adelram said as tears were forming in the corner of his eyes, sensing Kaela’s presence behind him. “The Galra must perish.”

“If so, that you would mean that include me to be destroyed.” Kaela coldly stated as she walked up the stairs in black clothing and black high heeled boots. “I am part Galra.”

“No, no sister. Not you. You are not going to be destroyed or perish. But you must have some kind of hatred for the Galra somewhere in that fragile, lonely heart of yours.” Adelram said softly as he turned to her as she stared dangerously in his eyes.

“And what do you suppose I should do?” Kaela asked with an eyebrow raised.

“I need you to do me a favour, dear sister.” Adelram smirked evilly.

(~)

“Lance! There is no way we can track Kaela. I mean, I wasn’t trained to be able to track her with my Altean-Mage powers.” Keith pointed, getting a bit annoyed by Lance’s impatience.

“She is already tortured and corrupted by Adelram! You aren’t even trying to save your own sister! If she was my real sister, I would never give up to find her!” Lance exclaimed. “It sure looks like to me you don’t even love your sister! And you!” Lance turned to the leader of the MFEs with a scowl on his face.

“You love Kaela! You barely do anything to save her!” Lance angrily exclaimed. “Don’t you EVEN love her?! I don’t think you love her as much she does love you!”

“WE are trying our best here, McClain! I do love her! I do! We all are doing the best we can to try and save her. Now is the time to calm down.” James said calmly as he coldly glared at Lance who stood his ground. Lance growled and looked away from Keith and James. He ran his hands in his brown hair with the others looking at the three men who all cares about Kaela deeply.

“Look, Lance, I know you are worried about Kaela. We all are. And we don’t know where we are. We need to figure out where in the galaxy.” Pidge said, trying to calm her boyfriend down and held his hands gently. Lance sighed and nodded, taking deep breaths to calm down.

“Well, your grandmother must have a map inside the cottage somewhere.” Allura said to Keith as she looked inside the cottage with Kinkade looking through the bookshelf.

“I think we will be wasting our time looking through the books.” Lance said as he sat on the staircase with his arms crossed.

“Lance, this is my grandmother’s place, tools, spell books and everything. Maybe if she left us something to use, we can use that to save Kaela.” Keith pointed. “Reading books is not a waste of time.”

“To me it is.” Lance said as Pidge slap him on the arm to stop him from starting another spat or fight between them.

“Okay, you guys better try to get along with this to save her. Kaela wouldn’t like to see you like this. Fighting against each other.” Rizavi warned the two Paladins.

“And it is getting ridiculous! You two need to stop!” Pidge exclaimed as she desperately looked at Lance who gritted his teeth and then took a deep breath.

“So, now what, Keith? What do we do?” James asked.

Before he could answer, they all heard that Kinkade had found something and it was a kind device of some sort. Allura saw it has ancient Altean writing as well as Zelzan writing. Keith bent down to look at the writing and then saw a rune in the centre of the device.

“Well, what is it?” Leifsdottier asked with Hunk and Kinkade putting the device on the table with Pidge lighting the candle so that they could see the symbols easily. He looked at his now visible rune on his palm and then looked at the rune on the device.

“It says it needs blood to open this up.” Keith breathed out as he took out Kaela’s blade out, with him taking out his glove from his suit. He hissed when he cut himself with blood dripping on the device as it glowed brightly, and it lit up showing the whole galaxy.

They all gasped in wonder seeing the stars in front of them in the whole room with the spirits of the animals in Zelza were flying around them. Then saw which planet, they are in. They were far away from Earth, much to everyone’s shock and distress. Rizavi almost looked like she fainted, as well as Kinkade but Leifsdottier is just standing there like its normal, James was standing there in shock.

“We will not make it back to Earth in time!” Hunk exclaimed as he panicked.

“Great. Just great.” Lance muttered. “Whose fault is this?” Pidge pinched his arm as he yelped in pain.

“Well, it wasn’t I who had made the wormhole….” Allura said as she trailed off, looking at Keith.

“I was the one who made that wormhole. But we all came here for a reason with the Lions.” Keith said.

“Yeah, to get us lost. You got us lost!” Lance snapped as Keith glared him.

“Lance, I didn’t know I had this ability until now. Could you just lay off?!” Keith shouted as Lance gritted his teeth not taking this anymore until he jumped on him and punched him on the face. Everyone exclaimed in shock with Allura and Pidge shouting to calm their fiancé and boyfriend.

The two boys took the fight outside with their bayards and Keith used Kaela’s blade to defend himself. Lance scoffed. “You don’t deserve her blade. Not at all.”

“And you think you do?” Keith snarled as he charged at him as they clashed blades in the rain with the others watching.

(~)

Shiro and Coran heard footsteps and saw Adelram was holding now a black phoenix totem in his hands as he chuckled and tossed it in Shiro’s face. He looked at the totem and gasped seeing blood stained all over. “What have you done to her?” Shiro snarled.

“Me? Oh, I just had made my final touches to my corruption spell. I hope you will enjoy the show in a few minutes.” Adelram replied dryly. “She is no longer Kaela anymore.”

Coran gasped in horror with Krolia gasped with tears rolling down her cheeks with Kolivan losing his patience and compose, tried to attack him but he was electrocuted. “Tsk, should not have done that. Please, please, remain calm and enjoy the show.” Adelram chuckled as he left them in the cell with the totem on the floor.

Adelram walked back into the Castle halls and saw one of his servants coming towards him. “Your highness, where is Mage Princess Mizuki? I must speak with her about the wedding preparations.”

“Oh, dear Mizuki is fairly exhausted. I shall hear the arrangements once I finish with something.” Adelram replied as he walked along.

“But sire, the wedding in a week. We must get started!” Adelram’s eye twitched in annoyance and he cannot take it anymore with his servants as they all came and overlapped their voices over each other with Adelram growling in anger as he gripped on his robes tightly. “ENOUGH!” 

Every servant was startled with his outburst with all of the fire that were lit in the halls were blown away. Adelram breathed heavily and slowly turned around to the Mage servants who all shuddered in fear as dark entities appeared behind him. “You all be…. SILENT!”

The floor and the walls transformed into black rocks and the entities growled lowly as Adelram lifted his arm up and started to absorb their mana energy with the guards appearing, ready to strike not until they froze to see that their Mage Prince of the Air tribe was behind this.

Then they heard soft footsteps, and all turned to see another Dark Mage appeared with long white and silvery hair with purple ombre hair. Her eyes were glowing deep red and her cracks were glowing, and she has red flames appearing from her hands. The guards all whispered and shuddered in fear seeing her deadly red eyes.

“Dear sister, please take care of this while I do some other arrangements of our attack.” Adelram requested as he walked

“You have gone mad, your majesty!”

“Yes, yes, I have. Now it is time for us Mages, have our revenge against the Galra. After everything they had done to our family, friends and our tribes.” Adelram chuckled evilly as the floor underneath him transformed into smooth dark and black marbled floor with red flames appearing on every torch in the hallways.

Down in the cells, Shiro, Coran, Kolivan and Krolia saw the dungeon was transforming and the cell bars transformed into thorns and the walls into stones. They all tried to get out but no success as they all were still trapped. Shiro saw the totem’s flame had disappeared. “Kaela...”

(~)

Keith was being tackled by Lance on the muddy ground as he punched him. “What happened to ‘I will never give up on you’, huh?! Kaela needed you the most and you weren’t there for her!” Lance angrily shouted.

Keith blocked his fist as he punched hard on the jaw and he pinned him on the ground and punched him repeatedly in anger as his eyes turned yellow. His fangs were showing and was growling like feral animal.

James, Kinkade and Hunk tried to break up the fight not until Keith hissed at them. Then he gasped softly. In his line of vision, he saw Kaela standing there in the light. Her back was facing him with her long raven, purple ombre hair blowing in the wind gently. She turned around and saw her gentle and kind face. She was smiling brightly as a star and she had offered her hand to him.

Lance saw he had stopped moving and then tackled him on the ground. He kept on hitting him on the face until Hunk grabbed him with James coming to Keith’s aid to helping him up to his feet. Allura came to his side and saw his bruises and black eye.

“Huh? You’re not going to say anything, fearless leader?” Lance shouted.

“Calm down, McClain!” James shouted. “We know you are desperate to save her. So am I! But if she came with us, Adelram would track all of us including her. She had no choice but to go with him.”

Lance calmed down and took deep breaths and looked at Keith who was leaning on Allura for support. “Come on, darling. Let’s get you healed up.” Allura said softly as she glared at Lance, leaving him to shove Hunk aside and went to cool off with the rain pouring down on them with thunder clapping loudly.

(~)

Lahn and Mora were looking through the planet systems to see if Adelram was attacking any defenceless planets. Lahn noticed his wife was worried about something else. “My love, I am sure that the Paladins are going to save Kaela. She is a strong warrior, just like my brother.”

“I’m sorry, Lahn, I thought Kaela was alive and not corrupted. I-I felt like I should’ve helped more with the paladins. She’s my best friend next to Acxa. I don’t want to lose her ever again.” Mora sighed shakily as she looked down at her legs. “Ever since I lost the use of my legs. I-I t-thought I felt hopeless, weak. I thought I could not be able to help others.”

Lahn frowned and then kneeled down. “Look, Mora. You are one of the most extraordinary, beautiful and talented woman I have ever met. You do have the ability to help others. Including Kaela.” Mora smiled and then the two hugged each other tightly until they got an alert.

Lahn and Mora went closer to the window and saw a large portal and gasped in horror with Mora covering her mouth. Horrified at the sight of Dark Entities coming out snarling and flying around three Galra cruisers. They were all circling around them as Lahn ordered the Galra fighters to retreat until he saw Kaela flying out of the portal with long white-silver hair, red glowing eyes and donned a black suit. Then the whole ship was dragged to get closer to her.

“Lahn…”

“It is alright, Mora. She won’t hurt us.” Lahn assured Mora.

While they get closer, they both got a good look at Kaela’s corrupted form. She had red glowing cracks over her face, her diamond on her forehead remains purple along with her Galra markings. “Hurt you? Prince Adelram does want all of you dead. Because of your past crimes in destroying Planet Zelza. You shall perish. You all shall be perished.” Kaela said in a monotone voice as she ordered the entities to destroy the Galra cruisers while Lahn had ordered his men to shoot fire at them.

Kaela frowned as she saw the fighters were after her and she froze them in their paths. She a wave of energy appeared and destroyed the fighters with her eyes glowing deep red. Mora gasped in shock as Lahn tried to get the communicators systems working.

“Retreat!” Lahn ordered his men as he heard that the Galra cruiser was crumbling inside. Mora saw Kaela was crushing their ship without any sign of remorse. She gasped softly as she saw the windows were cracking slowly. Lahn went over to his wife closely and he carried her to safety with the doors almost closing on them.

Kaela put her hand down as a dark creature came speaking to her as she frowned. Sensing something out in space. It was faint and ancient. Felt familiar to her. She narrowed her eyes as she looked at the Dark Creature. “Lead me to them. I shall end the Galra.”

(~)

Hunk and Pidge were with Lance as he cools off near the river with the rain and hearing the thunderstorm. “Are you, uh, have you calmed down?” Hunk asked nervously.

“Yeah, I am fine now. It’s just…. I want to get our friend back. She needs help.” Lance replied.

“Then we will do it right. We will save her, Lance. I know we will.” Pidge said confidently as she held his hands in hers tightly while looking deeply in his ocean eyes, yet her hands were shivering. Lance warmed her hands with his even though they are under the rain.

Back in Keith’s grandmother’s house, Allura dressed Keith’s bruises in front of the fireplace. “He really did punched you there, pretty hard.” James commented as he got a plate of water and gave it to Allura.

“Kaela did train him as well.” Keith said as he put an ice pack on his black eye and hissed in pain.

“You really think we can find her? With just two Lions?” James asked as he sat down on a chair with Kaela’s locket in his hands. He added another photo of Kaela with a blue flower behind her ear and wore a light purple dress. She was smiling brightly at the camera with the stars shining brightly.

“Perhaps, she did put some of her mana inside of the Lions. And also Keith is part Altean and maybe we can merge our abilities to try and find her.” Allura suggested. “In some way.”

“That would also cause me to lose energy and strength to fight. It happened to Kaela before.” Keith reminded her, remembering in their missions that Kaela always loses energy to fight.

“Did that also happen when Kaela absorbed dark magic?” James asked as he closed his locket and put it back on his rifle.

“Yes, she absorbed Dark magic a few times to protect us. To protect you. But then used it to destroy us.” Allura said as she remembered her corrupted look in the Atlas and how she destroyed the Atlas in one spell. She was more powerful, just like Honerva.

Keith sat up and then held her hand. “We are going to find her. We just need to find a way how.”

“Then how are going to turn her back to normal?” James asked.

“We will find a way. We always find a way to help her before she loses herself forever.” Allura said, answering James’s question.

Back in the forest, Lance, Hunk and Pidge walked back to the cottage in the rain. Then Pidge heard something from the distance. She looked around the forest and then saw nothing that could have made that noise. She then looked up at the dark clouds above her and then saw something falling down from the sky.

She heard a loud explosion and saw a piece of metal falling down from the sky and it is heading down to where the cottage is. “Guys! Heads up a cruiser is coming down to where the others are!” Pidge warned the boys as lance ran faster to get to the cottage.

He ran as fast as he could until he saw the cruiser coming down. He ran up the hill to the cottage and then saw the MFEs were sitting in the shed. “Guys! Watch-!” Then the cruiser landed on the cottage as it exploded in front of him.

Lance fell down on the ground with his hand covering his mouth in shock with Pidge and Hunk gasping in shock and horror to see it was on fire. But then Lance saw a barrier around the cottage, but Rizavi was trapped along with Kinkade who was helping him up from the debris.

“Who made that barrier?” Hunk asked looking at the fire. Then the trio saw the barrier was made by a rune all over the ground. It was a rune circle that protected Keith’s grandmother’s house. They all saw Keith coming out with Allura to help James get out of the fire and the barrier. Hunk came to help James out of the debris with Allura helping Liefsdottier out and Kinkade carrying Rizavi in his arms.

Fire turned into a phoenix and it crushed the debris in its mouth. It flew up to attack whoever is attacking the Paladins and MFEs, but a blue and black energy blast came and absorbing the phoenix in its tracks, revealing it was Kaela in her final stages of a corrupted Mage.

Keith stood up seeing Kaela in her corrupted form and she flew towards them with her fiery red eyes looking down at them that sent them chills to their spines. Until she gasped seeing James injured and then went to her icy stare.

“Ella! What are you doing?” Keith looked up at Kaela who was flying adrift in the air with blue and black blames surrounding her.

“Obeying for what I have been told. To eliminate all Galra. Which means, you, brother, I shall destroy.” Kaela responded coldly as she sent blasts to all of the Paladins while Keith put his hands up until a shield appeared that protected them from her blasts. She looked on in surprise as she gritted her teeth as she kept on blasting at the shield until it breaks.

Allura opened her eyes seeing that Kaela’s blasts didn’t come and saw Keith had a shield protecting them. She can sense a trace of Mage craft in him. She gasped softly seeing Kaela was not giving up until they were all dead.

“Lance, get the MFEs out of here. We can take it from here!” Allura commanded as she got her bayard.

The Red Paladin nodded reluctantly and then grabbed Pidge’s hand. The MFEs making a run for it with Hunk behind with his cannon. They all ran into the forest with Allura giving her a distraction with her whip and grabbed her arm trying to pull her away from attacking Keith.

Kaela grabbed the whip in her hands and threw her on Keith who caught her in his arms, and she waved her hands around with vines from the trees and trapped them inside. Keith and Allura tried to get out with their bayards until Kaela levitated them to her in her hands. They were trapped inside the ball of vines; they had no other weapons to use to cut out the vines while Keith looked at Kaela who was flying away getting the Lions inside of one of Adelram’s ship.

“Get the Altean and Galran inside the ship. I will engage with the other Paladins and the MFEs.” Kaela ordered.

In the forest, Lance, Pidge and Hunk were hiding in a cave nearby with the MFEs. James was unconscious during the crash from the cruiser. Rizavi and Leifsdottier were recovering from their injuries while Pidge was putting a cold compress on James’s forehead.

“What happened to him?” Hunk asked, looking at James’s injuries. He had cut on his left eyebrow now and his right arm was broken. Rizavi had put on a sling for him to support his broken arm as she heard something.

“Guy, shh!” Rizavi hissed softly as everyone stayed quiet and stayed still in the cave with Kinkade getting his rifle ready. Hearing the silence made them more anxious as they only hear heartbeats from each other. Rizavi and Leifsdottier held hands tightly, seeking comfort in the dark in the cave. Lance and Pidge stayed close, sitting next together with their bayards in their hands.

They heard rumbling underneath them and the ground was shaking as the walls of the cave were closing in as the girls were hyperventilating as the little pebbles were falling down on them and little vines were grabbing their legs from down below.

From outside of the cave, Kaela was outside, using her powers to trap them inside the cave. Her eyes glowed in the dark and in the rain as she created little plant pods inside the cave. It released some kind of gas that makes them go to sleep.

Hunk was starting to get dizzy with his eyes feeling droopy and then passed out as the vines covered him with Lance trying his hard to get him out until he saw the girls were all caught in the vines as Pidge struggled to get out. “No, no! Katie!” Lance cried out to his girlfriend.

Then he felt dizzy and his line of vision become hazy as he shook his head to try to shake off the dizziness as he tried to reach out to his girlfriend. A vine captured his arm and pulled him against on the wall inside the cave and then turned to the entrance. Kaela walked through the wall with her hand going straight to his face as he closed his eyes slowly.

(~)

Kaela stood inside the ship watching as Adelram had placed them in a separate cell in the dungeon. She glanced over at James Griffin who was still not waking up and saw he had a broken arm and his left eyebrow has a scar.

“My dear sister, I know it is such a tragedy to see your love hurt. But all what’s worth. You two will be together forever.” Adelram said as he looked over the screens of his weapons, seeing it if it was functioning right.

Kaela frowned as she carefully caress her cold hand against his warm cheek that she once had felt with her warms hands. “I don’t remember me giving you much information about my love life, Adelram. That was private.”

“Oh, dear, my apologies. But I did see the two of you had kissed, lovingly and passionately, before you seemingly had saved him.” Adelram said in a low tone. “It seemed that you had found love again, after that Galra half-breed you once called brother, Lotor had sent a killer to assassinate your lover Koryak.”

Kaela immediately snapped and blasted that Adelram and sent him flying across the dungeon. Adelram deflected her blasts with his powers as he used his wind powers while Kaela used the water from the tub and created ice spikes and sent them flying towards Adelram. She caught him by the robes. “I did not give you permission to let you look into my memories.” Kaela snarled softly.

Adelram panted slowly as he took out one spike out of robes. “I…. I should apologise. I shouldn’t look into your sadden memories. I do apologize, dear sister.” Adelram walked towards Kaela as she turned away from him and looked at the Paladins who were in a deep sleep.

“It won’t happen again, Adelram. I shall destroy the Galra with you. But on one condition, my brother is mine for the taking.” Kaela requested as her hand was glowing deep red.

“I shall let you take care of your brother, dear sister.” Adelram bowed down, respecting her wishes as he walked out of the dungeon. Leaving her alone with the Paladins and the MFEs.

She also could hear the Lions talking to her in her head. She raised an eyebrow and, much to her slight shock, she could sense the other Lions nearby. She doesn’t know where the Lions had come from. She glanced over at Keith in the cell. He was held back by the vines and was in a deep sleep.

Her red eyes looked over his Paladin armour and then saw something and grabbed a small blade from him. It was originally Thace’s blade. She remembered that he had given her before he sacrificed himself to save her and her brother.

She heard someone waking up and it was Hunk who was staring at Kaela in her corrupted form. He whimpered, stammered and then was about to shout out loud. But she shut his mouth with a cloth and tied it up. “Shh, you don’t want to wake up your friends.” Kaela whispered as she put down her silver blade.

“W-w-w-what are you going to do to us?” Hunk shuddered, looking around the dark room. “A—a-are you going to kill us?”

“Kill you? That is not my intention. But killing the Galra is my motive. Adelram and I are completing our goal to destroy the Galra for what they had done.” Kaela replied to the Yellow Paladin.

“Killing all of the Galra? Kaela, he had done something to you. That means including you! He’ll kill you too!” Hunk exclaimed as he tried to get out of the vines, but Kaela had tighten the grip on the vines with her powers while thinking that Adelram could betray her.

“No. He would never kill me.” Kaela simply said as she walked away from him with a scowl. “I will let you and the Paladins live. I am something in mind with your leader and friend.”

Hunk’s eyes widened and then looked over at Keith who was still asleep. “No, no, no, no, Kaela! There’s something you also should know! Wait!” Kaela was inside Keith’s cell and made the vines hold his arms and legs. Kaela made an ice sword in her hand and was ready to kill him in sight in front of Hunk.

“NO! Kaela! You and Keith are both part Altean!” Hunk shouted as Kaela stopped and froze. Processing what she had heard. She glanced back at Hunk who whimpered seeing her cold icy stare.

She flew towards him and narrowed her eyes. “How are you so sure about this?”

“We were in a cottage where Keith had discovered that your grandmother had lived there.” Allura answered her question from her cell. Kaela’s eyes glanced over at the Altean Queen who had awoke. “You are also part Altean.”

“No…No… that cannot be. That is false information.” Kaela refused to believe she was part of Altean blood.

“You must believe that. You have both Altean and Galra running in your veins.” Allura pleaded desperately. Kaela stood there motionless until she heard Adelram shouting from upstairs. She glared at Allura before she flew up the stairs leaving them all alone in the cold and dark cell in the ship.

Kaela went to the bridge and saw Adelram was choking one of the Mages. “You better get all of the metal we need and take no prisoners! Now! Now! Now!” Adelram shouted as he panted slowly and angrily until he realised, she was standing there. Watching

“Sister, I am sorry that you had seen that.” Adelram cleared his throat.

“I am sure your weapon will be complete. The Paladins are secure in their cells. Two are awake now.” Kaela said as Adelram nodded in understanding.

“I see. And what of our other prisoners?” Adelram asked.

“Commander Lahn and Mora are nowhere to be found. I tried tracking them but still no sign of them.” Kaela replied.

“Hmm, they will appear soon. Now, I’ll be running a few errands. Taking care and finish up my-our weapons.” Adelram said as he got his spear with him. “And make sure they do suffer.”

Kaela nodded as she watched him creating a portal of his own. He left her alone in the throne room. In the cold darkest throne room. She looked over at the desk next to his throne and she walked up with her heels echoing in the room as she ascends up the stairs.

She stood in front of the chair and stared at it with a blank stare. She then got a flashback in her head and she groaned lightly. She heard a voice and she looked around the room and saw no one was there. She raised an eyebrow in confusion and she then looked at the chair again. Only to see someone from her past. “Lotor?” Kaela gasped.

“Kaela, what are you doing?” Lotor asked softly. “You can still stop him when you have the chance.”

“You… You are not real.” Kaela said as she took a few steps down the stairs from Lotor until he grabbed her wrist.

“Kaela, this isn’t you. You can do better than this. Adelram is just using you. Please, I am certain your lover, your brother and the rest of the Paladins all do need you now. As you need them.” Lotor convinced her as he held her hand in his. “Please, I never want you to succumb in these darkest ways that Adelram had forced you to take.”

As Kaela looked back and saw Lotor was truly trying to help her to get out of the darkness that Adelram had trapped her in. “You can still try and save your brother and your friends.” Lotor said as he let go of her hand and disappear from her sight.

(~)

Down in the dungeon, Allura was trying to get out of the vines as Hunk tried to wake up Keith from his sleep. “Keith! Keith, wake up!” Hunk hissed as he kicked him on the arm.

He groaned and opened his eyes seeing that he was trapped in vines. “What the...? Guys, are you alright?”

“Barely.” Pidge replied as she saw they were in dark and black dungeon. “Uh, this is new.”

“We are in Adelram’s ship?” Lance asked waking up beside Pidge as he looked around and saw the dark blue flames igniting in the hall. The place was freezing but luckily, they were wearing their Paladin armour. “We should find Kaela.”

“And what? She’ll just attack us anyway.” Rizavi said with Kinkade waking up with James as he woke up to see a sling around his arm, and Leifsdottier was waking up next to him looking around the cold and dark room.

“Where… Where are we?” James asked.

“In a merged Galran and Zelzan ship, I suppose. Oh and I think Kaela purposely made this dungeon cold.” Liefsdottier said.

“Well, that was nice of her.” Lance muttered until something was thrown at him. “OW! Who—Oh.” Lance turned to see Kaela was the one who threw him a wench on his head.

“I do believe you are settled in your new homes.” Kaela said as she walked towards them. “And you were all meant to keep your mouths shut.”

“Brother, is it really true that you and I are part Altean?” Kaela asked as her eyes turned to her brother who was sitting beside Allura who nodded as she had told her the truth of their bloodline.

“Well...” Kaela inquired.

“It’s true. I saw our grandmother. A-and that cottage was our grandmother’s place. I have seen her. She wanted to help you, too. Please I will never give up on you. We will never give up on you.” Keith promised her.

Kaela’s eyes widened slightly as she turned her back on him. Processing what she had heard. She is part Galra and part Altean. She doesn’t know how to process this. “Are you certain?” Kaela asked.

“We are certain, Kaela. It is the truth.” Allura said.

Little did they know, Adelram was watching the whole conversation in a mirror in a planet where he was continuing the weapon he is creating. “Interesting. Part Altean and Galran.” He chuckled and then stroked his chin. He chuckled and then decided to make things more intriguing as he closed his eyes.

In the cell, Kaela was walking around in the dungeon, hearing something from behind her. She saw the red bayard was active as it manifested into a gun and shot her on the shoulder. She looked back to see it was a red bayard that once belonged to Keith and belongs to Lance. She roared in pain as she growled and was using her powers to choke Lance. “Ella, no! He didn’t do it!” Pidge shouted.

“You tried to kill me.” Kaela snarled.

“It wasn’t him!” Hunk shouted.

“Ella! Stop right now!” James shouted form his cell. “Ella!”

Lance was being choked by Kaela and stared in her red glowing eyes. He was levitated towards her and was still being choked by the neck. She lifted her hand and the bayard was summoned to her hand as it turned into a blade, much to everyone’s surprise.

Kaela was about to plunge the blade into Lance’s heart until she was knocked down on the floor by Keith. He helped Lance up as he looked at him in surprise and realized he had a spare small knife with him. Lance got his bayard back with Kaela narrowing her eyes at them in anger. She used the metal around them to try and stab them but saw that Keith has his own shield up.

She saw there was a key card on the floor with Shiro trying to get it with his remaining arm. She ran towards Shiro and kicked him on the head with Krolia shouting out to her. Shiro grabbed her leg as she punched him on the face. “Ella, don’t do this!” Krolia cried out to her daughter. She saw her daughter had put her into a deep sleep while she was tackled by Keith on the ground and she kicked him off of her.

Keith grunted in pain as he landed on the staircase, he opened his eyes and saw Kaela was charging at him with a staff. He moved out of the way as they clashed against each other. Then she heard Lance was charging towards her with his bayard. She blocked their attack as they took the fight up the stairs as Kaela ran up towards the doors with the two paladins running up to fight her.

The three took their fight in the hallways with the guards trying to help Kaela but she froze them in ice before she fought Lance with their blades crossed. Kaela swung her staff until Keith broke it in half. She punched him on the face and kicked Lance on the stomach and in the chest brutally.

Lance growled lightly, swung his sword at her as she duck at every attack. She jumped over him and then kicked Keith on the chest as they slide down towards the doors and Keith hit his head. Lance ran towards him and helped him. “Keith. Are you going to be okay?”

“I’ll live.” Keith replied getting up on his feet as he looked at Kaela who was standing on the staircase. She looked at them with her hands ingulfed in blue flames.

The others were getting their cuffs off as they heard the battle was still on with Krolia looking over Shiro. She never saw this side of Dark Mage before. She turned to the Paladins as they were ready to fight against Kaela but then the doors were merged together. Hunk tried to get the doors from merging, but it was too late. Keith and Lance are fighting Kaela on their own.

In the throne room, everything was lit in red flames as the boys saw the shadow of a phoenix behind her. Her hands was ingulfed in blue flames as it disappeared, and she had summoned her long silver blade and short shoto. She stood ready to fight against her brother and Lance. Her eyes glowed bright red as blue flames appeared again and then flew up mid-air and then grabbed Keith in her hands.

“KEITH!” Lance ran after them, but they were out of the throne room, flying into the corridors. Kaela punched her brother on the face repeatedly as she broke his helmet, shattered into pieces and threw him on the wall.

She walked towards him and tried to kick him on the face, but he caught her leg and pulled her down onto the ground. Kaela narrowed her eyes and got up with her blades in her hands. Keith pulled out a longer blade that once belonged to her. “Kaela, I don’t want to fight you. I want to help you. You can’t let the darkness consume you.” Keith panted tiredly as he held the blade in his hands. “I know this isn’t you!”

“On the contrary, I do want to fight you. You’ll only get in my way.” Kaela coldly said snarled as twirling her blades in her hands. The two siblings stood with the Dark Mages surrounding them in a circle with fire lighting up the halls, dimmed with a red and blue lights. She was engulfed in red flames, ready to fight against her own brother and former partner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! If this installment fails, then i will be cancelling the new project/spinoff. 
> 
> In other words, i am so honored to write all these stories! i will be continuing writing Voltron One-shots! And working on new fanfics.


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